Strange Hope
by Chris4Short
Summary: SG1 arrive on Tynir to trade, but end up making a trade that is more then they bargined for. Set in Season 10, future fic. Warning Character Death or Preceived Death in future chps, Ch. 10 is rated 'M' for Strong Sexual situations.
1. Tynir

Disclaimer: I don't own them, don't make me insane thinking you think I do. Because I don't. And so far I have convinced peope I am sane.

A/N: I would like to thank my two wonderful beta's - Meriem Clayton and Jess13 (or as I call them, Alison and Jess, my co-defenders of S/D). I would also like to thank all of you who read my stuff. It's a privliage to have such awesome people who read my stuff - let me know if you like it - kindly R&R!

* * *

"It's cold," Colonel Cameron "Cam" Mitchell stated. He looked up at the vacant sky, wondering if the planet had ever seen a sun – knew what warmth was. 

"I told you she was right," Vala Mal Doran said. She jabbed a thumb in Colonel Samantha "Sam" Carter's direction. "She's always bloody right," she muttered as she forged ahead.

Sam looked over to where Daniel Jackson stood looking at the pillars that lined the way to the Stargate. He returned the look, telling Sam he had heard it all too. Since coming back a little over six months before – suddenly resurfacing from Ori territory – Daniel had avoided Vala as much as he could. Being on the same team did not help in this endeavor.

"I believe yesterday's temperature was higher. Perhaps it will become more pleasant," Teal'c said, giving a rare smile. He had become a bit less reserved as he rallied the free Jaffa once more against Gerak and the other Jaffa who had accepted Origin. They had fought back, and were maintaining their freedom, causing Teal'c to relax.

"Well it is still cold," Cam said once more. "I just hope this 'escort' of ours shows up."

"Oh I thought you liked the cold," Vala said, swinging her scarf over her shoulder, barely missing Cam. "In the mean time I will wait here on the bench."

Cam looked at her. She brought a new dimension to the team, but was he still wondering if it was a good one. Vala seemed to look out for Vala and, if you were lucky, maybe you too. It disturbed Cam that she and Sam seemed to butt heads over some small thing that were way over his head. Daniel had explained that he did not try to find out what the problem was until after the explosion and the dust cleared. Then he would wait silently until Sam told him the newest "Adventure into Vala's Mind," an always-entertaining journey.

"Well if these pillars are any help, it says that the people of this planet had a protector – sounds like the Asgard," Daniel said, tracing the symbols.

Sam got lost in watching the fingers trail over the grooves for a moment. "A protected planet? Wow. We have not found one of those in a long while."

"Indeed. If this was a protected planet, would Thor not have told us when he indicated the gates to protected planets?" Teal'c asked.

"You would think so," Daniel said. Turning, he looked at the rest of his team, "but it looks like they lost the protection. Something must have happened to cause the Asgard to pull back. That could explain why Thor never mentioned it."

"Well we will never get to ask if this 'escort' is not here in a few moments. I thought my Aunt Gertrude was bad about time. She once showed up for Christmas a day late," Cam said. Finishing the sentence to himself, he went back to searching the clearing for the escort that Din – their contact – had said would be waiting. He was over due by 10 minutes so far.

As if summoned by Cam's impatience, an old man came down the path, holding a little box in his hand. He was stooped low; years of laboring on the land had made his hands gnarled, but strong. He looked wide-eyed at the team as they stood beside one another and greeted the man.

"I am Daniel Jackson," Daniel said stepping forward. "This is Colonel Sam –"

He was cut short as the man placed a hand on his lips. He was looking at the five people, and Daniel looked over at Sam, who shrugged. They had gone to many different worlds, met many different people, but never had one stopped Daniel's introduction in such a manner.

"I need not know your names, brave one," the man said, finally meeting Daniel's blue eyes with his crystal gray ones. "You come as Din has instructed; this is all I need to know. You come through the Stone of Light; this is all I need to understand. Take this and follow me." He handed the box to Daniel who gave it to Cam. They followed silently as the man hobbled his way back down the path.

Cam carefully looked at the box, inspecting its four sides and top and bottom. "Oh open the bloody thing already," Vala hissed quietly. Cam looked at her and shook his head. He did things his way, the military way, and when he needed to feel reckless – which was not often – he did it Carolyn Lam's way. Vala loomed by his side, not letting his own shadow fall on the hard grassy ground.

Finally, he opened the box, much to the delight of Vala. Sam and Daniel were carefully trailing behind the man, while Teal'c was following, holding up the rear. Cam pushed the paper aside and picked up the necklace from inside.

"Oh that is pretty," Vala cooed.

Cam rolled his eyes and snatched the box back, placing the necklace inside once more, and put the lid on it. "We don't know what it means and, no, you can not have it."

"Well then show it to Daniel! He can translate while we walk. Gawd knows there is precious little else to do," Vala said, exasperated.

"No," Cam said firmly. He smiled a bit as she pouted and continued to walk silently beside him.

"Here is the village. Din is expecting you in the meetinghouse. Go and trade well," the old man said, stooping lower – a bow of sorts – and walked into the side street of the small neighborhood of stone buildings he had brought them to.

Cam held a hand up and called after the man. "Thanks! We'll see ourselves the rest of the way." Turning to the other members, he smiled, "Friendly folks. Let's see what Din wants to trade."

Now alone, SG-1 walked down the same street the man had lead them down. Cam figured the "meetinghouse" was in the center of the village. Daniel also felt it was the best place to find the home and their trading partner. In five minutes they had emerged out into an open lawn, busy with people. The square was lined with booths, people, and the smell of food. Even in the drizzle that had started, the place seemed alive and active with people and trade. The people regarded SG-1 curiously, but none stopped them or openly stared at them.

"Well here we are," Cam said after he had taken in the sudden crowd. "Let's see what we can help these people with."

* * *

"Medicine. That is what my people need," Din said. He pounded the table, not for emphasis, but to kill the rather large spider that was making its way across the desk. "You have medicine." 

Cam looked over at Daniel, sharing a small smile. "We can certainly supply that. If you would like we can go back and deliver them before your sun sets."

"No. We can not trade like that," Din said. And there lay the snag that they had been picking at for the last hour. Cam and the team were more than ready to go back and deliver the supplies they sought – medication, seeds for crops and water purifiers. In return they would let SG-1 study the soil that made any crops naturally pest free and grew almost twice as fast. Din shook his head and looked back at Cam, continuing, "Anyone can bring those to you – we don't know if it could be switched by anyone. In return anyone can get them from you."

"What do you mean? You keep saying 'anyone' as if you do not trust these other people," Daniel said finally.

"I do not trust these other people. They, in turn, do not trust us," Din looked at them and sighed. With a sweep of his hand, the rest of the people who were listening to the conversation left the meeting hall. Din pulled thoughtfully on his beard. Leaning forward and lowering his voice, he said, "I need weapons. Much like yours. They look deadly. We have spears and arrows, and can do a lot of damage, but we need more. The others – a rival village two days journey over the rough hills – have been plundering the homes outside our village. We need to stop them."

Cam looked calmly at the man. "We cannot negotiate weapons. I have to clear that with my superiors. I can give you the medicine and training on how to bandage your wounded."

"They are not wounded. They are dead. The others kill my people," Din said flatly. Anger burned in his eyes. "In a few days time they will surely come to the village wall and start plundering my people, laying siege to my village."

"How can we help?" Daniel asked. Catching Cam before he spoke, Daniel rushed ahead. "We may not be able to provide weapons, but we can see if we can't negotiate some treaty between you and these people."

"They are dangerous."

"But if you are afraid for your people, wouldn't that be worth a try?" Sam asked.

"I would not sacrifice any of my people to them," Din said shaking his head. He sat back and stroked his beard once more. "They know my people and would not listen to them. The other tribe is three weeks journey away. They are neutral but would not help even if we asked."

Daniel looked at Cam, asking the silent questions. Sam watched them, nodding as she caught Daniel's eye. "We would be willing to be neutral negotiators," Daniel said at last.

"Surely not all of you," Din said. He regarded them for a moment. "You would do this and supply us with what we need?"

"Yes," Cam said without hesitation.

Din sent for his top officials who were waiting in the hall. Vala leaned over and hissed, "I thought this wouldn't take long. I have a nail appointment to get to."

Cam shot her a glare. "So these people will have peace, you will sacrifice that appointment then."

Din talked in hushed tones in a language Daniel had not figured out yet. There was a lot of nodding and gesturing to the team members sitting in front of Din. Finally Din sat back; the officials stepped back also.

"We will take your offer. My officials and I agree there is little else we can do. However we cannot allow all of you to go; our customs do not permit this. One of each sex is allowed."

"Give us a moment," Cam said, moving away from the group a bit. Looking at his team said, "Well it is a no brainier, I am no Hugh Parr Scanlon, and would most likely get killed first, so Daniel will go." Daniel nodded, figuring as the Universal Negotiator, he lead the team in this regard. "Vala I cannot let you go, so Colonel, that leaves you."

"Why can't I go? Daniel here may need someone to pull him out of trouble," Vala protested.

"I doubt it, but if it happens, Colonel Carter is more qualified then you. Besides she has negotiated her share of trades and treaties," Cam said. With a firm nod he cut Vala's protests off before they sprang to her lips. Turning to Din and his officials, he smiled. "You have your negotiators! Dr. Jackson is a wonderful negotiator and Colonel Carter is also has experience in that area, should these people be difficult."

Din looked at them and slowly nodded. "They will do wonderfully."


	2. Preperation

Cam let Vala and Teal'c go back to Earth, informing General Hank Landry that Sam and Daniel would be negotiating and he would be staying to assist learning the ways of the people, should something go wrong and he had to step into Daniel's place. Although he highly doubted that this would be necessary. Cam really did not see himself negotiating a treaty with people who were known – according to Din and some of the villagers who spoke to him – to kill and then identify what side they belonged to. That was a firmly Daniel Jackson thing.

Cam rested a hand on his gun and surveyed the land once more.

"I don't think it will change," Sam said coming beside him. "It kind of reminds me of some places back on Earth. Same hill after hill, same boring gray sky with little to no warmth to speak of."

"So you really want to move here, huh?" Cam said jokingly.

"Sign me up," she said dryly.

"I take it it's not your turn to study yet," Cam said. He nodded to the meetinghouse, a few yards back. "They seem to be taking a long time with Jackson."

"He said it had to do with him being considered the lead negotiator. Another custom."

"I did notice there were no women on the advisement team. Only one woman on to train you," Cam said observing her.

"Yup. She makes my pet rock look friendly," Sam said, sighing.

"You have a pet rock?"

Sam looked at Cam and shook her head. "No. But if I did…"

"Ah, I see," Cam nodded. "You know I have heard pet rocks are not that easy to take care of."

"Really? And I suppose that comes from first hand experience?" Sam said playfully. She needed to relax, and Cam had been a very easy distraction. Neither were asked to do much and had lots of time to explore thee village, trying to find where the homes that were attacked were located so they could do some scouting around. They were still trying to figure out bits of the village that was quickly looking like a labyrinth.

"I had a few pets, but, sadly, never a pet rock. My neighbor did. He seemed to think it was better then PB and J," he said laughing.

"PB and J?" Sam asked as they turned once more to go back into the meetinghouse.

"Peanut butter and jelly. You never heard of it?"

"We sometimes would skip that and go straight to high class meals of tuna sandwiches. Those were the days Dad was not with us and sometimes not all the checks would have been forwarded to our new address. Mom would make some of the best tuna and pasta salads this side of the galaxy," Sam said smiling.

"Well considering I am not sure which side of the galaxy we are even on, I'm sure it was great," Cam said. He paused as they stepped into the main hall, the woman who was training Sam motioning them to join her. "Of course these days I would eat anything that you feed to your pet rock. Gee, does she know how to smile?"

Sam looked at him and gave a small sad smile. "I'm sorry; the pet rock just ate the last candy bar. And I don't think she has the muscles for that."

* * *

Daniel knocked lightly on the door to Sam's room. As he heard her softly call to come in, he pushed open the door and peered around it. "You're up." 

"As always. You're up too," Sam said smiling at him. She paused as she pulled out the notebook she was keeping notes in. "You know Mize is something like a drill sergeant."

"I'll take your word on that. Din is not much better. I feel like a small child when the officials all come around and quiz me on all the customs of their negotiations," he said. Sighing, he slipped his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Half the time I can't see how things are connected. Like you offer the cup and then the party does a chant for more wheat harvest. It's just hard to keep it all straight when it does not seem to be linked in any way."

"It does seem kind of strange," Sam agreed. Flipping the notebook closed, she turned to Daniel. "Have they said anything as to when we might be meeting this guy?"

"Need to make a nail appointment too?" Daniel teased. Sam noticed his eyes sparkled a bit as he said it. "Sorry, no they haven't. However I have not heard anything about any more homes being plundered. Apparently the death toll has leveled off a bit also. I wonder if this 'deadly man with no regard to us' has decided to back off."

"As in we don't need to negotiate anything?" Sam asked. She shook her head. "As much as I would like to see more smiling faces and places that are laid out in a functional way, we cannot let these people go without at least trying to make some kind of peace for these tribes. If the killing has stopped for a while, it will only start again. You know walking away will not solve anything."

"I thought I was the moral conscience," Daniel said lightly. "Something about this makes me uneasy."

"Hey," Sam knocked lightly into his shoulder. "Think of this as a vacation. We are on a planet with relatively friendly people –"

"Who are depressing us with their war stories."

"– We are not as cold anymore –"

"Because we are now as cold as they are."

"– And we don't have to listen to Vala ask a million questions."

Daniel looked at her and smiled. It was one of those bright ones she loved so much. "You're right! No Vala! I'm loving this place already!"

"You want to go over the negotiation processes?" Sam asked.

"Why not. Might as well memorize them. Maybe we can show Din that we are ready and move up the meeting day."

They sat on Sam's bed, facing one another and reciting line after line of the negotiation request and greeting in Tynirese.

* * *

They met in the meetinghouse and presented the memorized dialogue effortlessly. Din and the council members beamed, nodding and murmuring their approval. Sam and Daniel were pleased their study sessions were working. Even though they still did not understand all the customs, they could recite them all in order.

Cam sat on the side with Mize and another woman who had helped teach Sam her lines and the way she should act while Daniel talked to the other negotiations leader. He looked on and smiled, sure that their three day crash course had paid off and soon they would be heading back to Earth together.

Sam and Daniel were able to escort Cam back to the home where they were staying before riding with Din and two of the council members out to the plains where the other tribe lived. They were silent as they walked back, Cam knowing that they were reciting lines and making sure nothing was forgotten.

As they gathered two sacks of supplies containing the soil and some rocks Sam thought had the potential to have Naquadah in them, he turned and looked at them with confidence. "You two worry too much. I know these people will be very grateful when you negotiate a successful treaty."

"I hope so," Daniel said. "They seem to think so."

"And they said it was normal to have a neutral party be the negotiators so I don't really see that being a problem," Sam added.

"You guys think too much," Cam said again. He watched as they mounted two horses and rode out toward the edge of the village and toward their part of the trade.

"We will send word if things start to look like they will not go well. I have confidence in these two people," Din said as he looked down at Cam from his horse.

"So do I," Cam said as they vanished over a hill and down into the first part of the plains.


	3. Blood

Cam waited a while after the horses had disappeared before walking back to the Stargate. He and Sam in one of their downtimes had asked who the old man who had brought them to the village was and if he could show them a path back to the gate. After several aborted attempts, Sam was able to ask enough to get them to the man, and enough to understand his directions to the path that he had lead them down.

Now he found himself back on the path, whistling as the winds started to pick up. He took off the protective cover he had placed on the MALP and dialed Earth. The spinning of the gate still amazed him after close to a year and half after first laying eyes on it. The wormhole was established and Cam sent his GDO code through, while turning on the camera on the MALP.

"Colonel," General Landry said, greeting him. "So I assume Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson are off on their negotiating tour?"

"Yes, Sir. They left with their escorts about 30 minutes ago. They said it would take a good two days to get the other tribe to meet them and start the process," Cam said. He was about to continue when he was interrupted by a woman's loud scream. Turning, Cam hand on his gun, watched as Mize stumbled toward him and fell against Cam who caught her before she hit the ground.

"What?" Cam asked in the simple Tynirese he had learned.

"Blood," she said uncertainly. She had caught a few words of English that Sam and Daniel were teaching some of the others in the evening.

"Blood? Someone hurt?" Cam was becoming alarmed. "Wait here." He hurried over to the MALP, and said, "I would like to request a medical team. I think some of the villagers were attacked again."

He disengaged the wormhole, allowing for Landry to mobilize medics and sent them to Tynir. Cam turned back to the now weeping woman and tried to calm her. The way she carried on made him wonder if the people who were hurt were her family.

"We must go," she said as she looked at him once more. "We must go."

Nodding, Cam told her to wait as he quickly drew a map to the meetinghouse. He figured he could find whoever was coming with the medic team if they got there. "Ok, let's go."

Mize once more took his hand and led him down the path, letting go when she neared the village's edge. "Hurry, hurry," she said as they made their way to the meetinghouse. "There," she said, pointing to five hitched horses.

Cam ran up the steps and threw open the door. Inside the hall stood two council members who had ridden out earlier that day with Sam and Daniel. Cam saw that each man had cuts on their arms and blood trickled down their legs. _Oh please Carolyn come quick, it looks bad_, he said silently. They saw him come in and stood to one side, still looking down at a third person that was lying on the ground.

"Din," Cam breathed as he took in the bloodied man. Carefully Cam took off his vest and retrieved a small med kit. "Does anything hurt?"

"My leg is the worst. The other cuts can wait," he said wearily.

Cam set about cleaning the wound, a long gash almost to the bone, made by a sword, one of the council members said. He was busy cleaning it delicately he did not notice the hand that steadied on his shoulder until she spoke into his ear.

"Cam. You're doing fine," the voice said.

He whipped around and looked into the familiar brown eyes of Carolyn Lam, the lovely base doctor. "I can't stop the bleeding."

Her hands closed around his as he tied the gauze. "You're doing fine. He has slipped into unconsciousness. He will be fine. Let me examine the rest of him. Sit over with Dr. Brightman; he has some water for you."

He nodded and let go of the bag of medical supplies he had been holding onto. Turning he saw both the council members being tended to and Dr. Brightman talking to two people Cam recognized instantly. "Teal'c, Vala." He gave each a hug, causing Vala to look at him strangely.

"Have you lost your mind too?" Vala asked as she looked at him. "Maybe the doctor needs to stop whispering in your ear and start examining your head."

"Sorry, it's just," he looked at both of his teammates. Teal'c bowed in acknowledgement, while Vala still eyed him. Dr. Brightman handed him a water bottle, and he quickly sat down and started to drink. He looked around the room, seeing the other doctors coming back from treating their patients, and noticed something was wrong. "Have either of you seen Colonel Carter or Jackson?"

"We have not," Teal'c answered, now looking around. "Perhaps they are in another room being treated?"

"No, this is the only room, well besides the side room and the terrace out back. Let me go look," Cam said, getting up, only to have to sit back down quickly.

"You need to drink a bit more than half a bottle to get back to normal, Colonel," Carolyn said coming over. She looked him over quickly as Vala and Teal'c went around to find the other two members of their team. "You really need to come back to the base, you look tired, and it looks like the adrenaline is wearing off, and you may have a touch of low blood pressure. Let me guess, you have not been eating or drinking much."

"You are so amazing, Lam," Cam said dryly. "I don't look forward to the lecture, but docs know best."

"Wow, you are acknowledging that I am right?" she said playfully.

"Don't let it get to your head, darlin," he smiled.

"Cam! Cam!" Vala's voice cut through the air.

Cam with the aid of Carolyn, hurried to where Vala and Teal'c stood on the terrace. "Oh Gawd, it's awful. I don't know how anyone can be so cruel…" Vala was saying.

Carolyn held up a hand to stop Vala's rambling as Cam once more went pale. Teal'c stood next to him and somberly said, "We must find out if this is true."

Carolyn made her way over to Cam, letting out a small gasp at the sight. SG uniforms – two of them with patches – were hung over the railing. Unmistakable blood marks were spattered over each, tears and nicks in the fabric indicating where the wearer was hurt. Carolyn reached out to touch the fabric, making sure it was real. Vala stood beside her and let the silent tears fall down her face, Teal'c was stoically looking forward, but was holding back on the emotions. Cam had switched into soldier mode and was slowly feeling the anger build.

Whirling around, he went back into the meeting hall and went to one of the council members who were standing up now. "Where is the rest of my team?" he growled.

"Dead," was the simple answer. To Cam it was the wrong answer.

"Try again. Where are Sam and Daniel?"

"Dead. The tribe attacked; they fought bravely, got dragged off. We went to find them. They were dead."

"Where are their bodies?"

"The tribe took them. Left the clothes. We went after them, but they were dead. We could do nothing for them."

Cam let up on the hold he had on the councilman's shirt. It was bloodied and torn. "We can revive them. We need the body. I'm going to get their bodies."

"You cannot. The tribe they are harsh. They do things… defile the dead. They have no respect for them. I am afraid your friends are gone," the man said. He smiled apologetically as Cam turned around and sought the nearest seat.

Dead. Colonel Carter and Jackson. Dead.

He buried his face in his hands and silently collected his thoughts. "I hope you understand the trade is off. We cannot trade with you when you let two of the best people I have – had – die."

The councilman nodded and left with the aid of one of the women by the door. Several women entered the room and tended to the other councilman's and to Din's side. Carolyn was packing up already and Drs. Brightman and DeBarr were ready also.

Slowly, disheartened, the team, minus two valuable members, trudged back to the Stargate, Cam holding the folded clothing of his two slain teammates.


	4. Memories

General Hank Landry put the phone back into its cradle; having lost half of his hearing he was sure to General Jack O'Neill's protests that "they are not dead. They are NEVER dead!" and having to repeat that in fact there was no indication otherwise that they were alive to be found by Cam and the others who had joined in searching the forest and plains just outside the village. He racked a hand through his hair, getting up to make his next difficult call – informing General George Hammond.

"Walter, dial up the Prometheus," he said coming beside Sergeant Walter Harriman. The man nodded and started the dialing sequence that would connect them.

"Sam invented that you know," Vala's voice said, cutting into the silence. Landry turned and nodded. He knew that most of the equipment – or the technology at least – was designed by Colonel Samantha Carter.

"She was a brilliant mind. She and Dr. Jackson together brought this program well into the 21st century. I think they brought us into the 23rd in most of the uses of technology they have been gathering over the past 10 years," Landry paused. "Walter, do we have a connection?"

"Yes, Sir."

"General Hammond? This is General Landry. I am sorry to be the one to tell you but…"

* * *

Cam sat unmoving at the table. He stared ahead, into his lunch, a variety pack of mush. Teal'c sat across from him and was also unmoving and quite stoic. They had watched as people came in and out of the commissary, each offering condolences and asking when the memorial service was. Cam did not want to think that there would even have to be a memorial service. Surely Colonel Carter and Jackson would be coming through anytime. Each unscheduled activation – which they all were since all SG teams had been recalled – Cam would hurry to the phone and call the control room. Each time Walter would answer and tell him it was not the rest of his team. 

Vala had left for her room about an hour before and Cam was wondering what she was thinking about. It had to be hard on her to suddenly not have Daniel around to tease and Sam not to bicker with. She had been quieter and did not really comment when Cam tried to make light jokes.

"I guess we have a memorial to put together," Cam said into his plate. He looked up to Teal'c and wondered if the Jaffa would ever convey human like emotions. _Of course not, he's not human_, he reminded himself, picking at his food.

"Indeed," came the reply.

They got up and placed their trays on the small table by the kitchen and left. They really did not know where they were going; only Cam had a small office that had at one point been General O'Neill's when he was the head of SG-1. They found themselves standing at the doorway to Sam's lab, looking at the back of a man who was already standing inside.

"You know, I really never thought they would amount to the great fighters they turned out to be," the man said. Cam instantly knew it was O'Neill as he leaned forward, the light catching his graying hair. "She was a scientist – never had much use for them – and he was this brilliant man who managed to survive a year in harsh conditions, off world. I spent hours with them training them, testing them, making sure they could defend themselves. Carter I never really worried about; having level three combat training already she could wipe me on the floor if she wanted to. It was always Daniel's raw potential that I worked on the most.

"We have been in tougher situations, been down for the count many times. I never thought it would suddenly end like this," Jack turned and faced Cam and Teal'c. "I never thought all this gray hair they both caused me would suddenly be still on me when they died. They can't be dead. I know them too well. Daniel would have done some glowey thing and gotten Carter in on it. Carter would have thought her way out of it. I'm sure they are hiding in some thicket, embarrassed that they lost their shirts in the heat of the battle. I'm sure it's a plant." He looked away and added quietly, "They have to be alive."

Cam walked over to Jack, and stood for a moment. Without another hesitation, he hugged the man who was the first leader of the greatest group of people he ever commanded himself. Jack wrapped his arms around him in return. Pulling back, Cam barely had enough time to step back before almost being crushed by Teal'c's all encompassing embrace of both of them.

"I could not find anything that suggested they were still out there. For our sanity we need to have a memorial service. If it turns out I am wrong, and they really are alive, I'm sure they would love to have another memorial service in their honor to add to the list of past ones," Cam said lightly.

"You're right," Jack said at last. "Daniel would get a kick out of us doing another memorial – I think his fourth or fifth by now – and would enjoy showing us how wrong we were – again."

* * *

Two days later all the SGC personnel who could fit in the Gate room packed the room, lining the control room, and watched from the observation window in the briefing room. Hammond had beamed back, Jack helped prepare the service and took Cassie under his wing, Cam traded stories with Vala and comforted Carolyn, and Teal'c had contacted as many Jaffa and Tok'ra contacts they had left. They stood beside each other as Landry mounted the ramp and made his way up to the podium. 

"Today we mourn the loss of two wonderful scientists, Dr. Daniel Jackson who opened the Stargate and Colonel Samantha Carter, who turned the Gate on for all these years. I only knew them for two years, so I will turn it over to their first commander, General George Hammond," Landry stepped aside while Hammond came to stand in his place.

"Thank you Hank. Dr. Jackson and Colonel Carter were very vital to this program, both drawing on their diverse backgrounds to make this better than anyone imagined. Because of both of their contributions, we have been able to travel to thousands of different planets, meet thousands of new allies, and yes, meet – and beat – our share of bad guys.

"I know I missed them when I stepped aside to let General Jack O'Neill take the reins, but this cuts further. I know I have thought the whole team was dead numerous times, only to have them stubbornly come back home; this makes each MIA seem like nothing. I know we each have our memories that we now hold fiercely too and we will never let go of them in our hearts. So, for them, we must continue doing what they loved best," General Hammond said, pausing.

"Drink coffee and research!" Jack offered from where he was standing, breaking into Hammond's pause. Hammond broke into a wide grin and chuckled.

"Yes, we must keep the coffee mugs ready and the research going," Hammond nodded. "Jack, I think you want your turn. Come on up, son."

"Thank you Sir," Jack said, straightening his jacket. "Indeed we must keep it going but I was thinking more along the lines of traveling and always seeking the secrets of the universe. Never lose the curiosity that led a young man to come down to the mountain from a rather sparse lecture hall, and a spunky woman from the Pentagon to take on this cranky old soldier. I told her I never liked scientists – which also included Daniel – but they both seemed to worm their way deep in my heart.

"They were not the first people I have commanded, but they damn well were the best. They worked as a team, contributing to our success on difficult missions. They fought together side by side, sometimes making me worry about them even more when they got into their own science land, and somehow it is fitting that they died together. I only wish I was there dead too," Jack wiped a tear away. "They were damn fine soldiers, both were damn fine friends, collogues and above all were my reason to live when I had none, and my family in hard times. They were loved, by all of you, by their commanding officers, and by all the species we came into contact with. I loved them as my friends, my family, as my son and my daughter. Forever will I miss them. Thank you."

He stepped aside, still wiping the tears from his eyes. The audience also had tears and sniffling could be heard in the silence. The silence was met by the sudden kawoosh of the Gate activating and slowly Generals Hammond, Landry, and O'Neill and with Teal'c and Cam following, brought the two wreaths to the event horizon and with whispers of a last 'good-bye friends', they let them travel to the closest Stargate standing near where Abydos once was. As they saluted one last time, the wormhole disengaged, and the SGC all wondered what they would do now that two of the greatest minds were no longer with them.


	5. Hard Labor

A/N: THANK YOU for all of your encouraging words... And so to you I dedicate essentially the next part of the story - opps did I say next PART? ya.. so maybe there is more - looks into bucket of fic - umm a bit more...

Enjoy! (and keep R&R'ing, we love it!)

* * *

The sudden light from the lamp caused a bruised hand to come up, shielding her eyes. A figure suddenly loomed in the door and then was thrust into the room. He caught his balance before he collided with her, only to sink slowly to the floor in exhaustion. He stayed there and fell asleep on the hard ground. Sam closed her eyes, vowing to take a few moments to think, but was soon herself asleep next to Daniel.

* * *

"Get up," the voice growled. Instantly two pairs of blue eyes snapped open and blinked at the face above them. "Get up," he said forcefully. 

They got up, Daniel scrubbing his face and his eyes. He watched as Sam was also standing and rubbing her eyes. They were far from morning people, and especially now when they had nothing to look forward to but digging, sawing and hauling material around in the forest and plains. The door was flung open – they were grateful they even got a door to the small 6 by 6 hut – and the man pointed with his stick to the door.

Exiting, Daniel dipped his hands in the water beside the hut and splashed some of it over his face. He smiled at Sam as she lightly stuck her un-bruised hand in the water. "We have to change the bandage today," he said lightly.

"We should have some time during lunch," Sam replied. Glancing up at him as they walked to the main hut in which they had breakfast and dinner, she said, "It looks like you are working on that beard you swore you would never grow again."

"Well they have yet to approve my request for a razor," he said. Looking down at the food, he smiled at the woman who served him, plopping the mush into the wooden bowl, "And I see they have yet to meet my dietary needs."

"Oh come on, it's a beautiful array of … what did we have yesterday?" For the past two weeks they had found ways to keep their sprits up by playing small games, including the "we are having food today" game. Each meal was the same mush, but to Sam and Daniel it was a new delicacy of favored food group. They had yet to convince themselves the liquid slop was coffee, but at least they could tolerate the food.

"Cranberries and turkey, but that was dinner. Yesterday we dined on… French toast, making this the pancake and eggs day," Daniel said happily. Taking a spoonful of the off white less then creamy concoction he ate it and closed his eyes. "Mm, divine."

"That's something my dad would do," Sam said. "If Mark or I would not eat our carrots or peas, he would sit there and make everything seem like it was the best food he ever ate. It worked when we were younger, but he would still do it every once and awhile."

Daniel looked at her and placed a hand over her bandage. "We will get home."

They clung to that one phrase like the lifeboat it was to their sanity. They pushed their bowls away, not a morsel wasted, as the bell clanged, letting the twenty or so workers that they had to start their journey to the forest and start working.

* * *

They were fortunate to work side by side as they sawed fallen trees into planks of wood. Daniel talked about how this was the way all homes were built before the days of modern building and engineered materials. 

"When the settlers first migrated west in America, they would clear land and cut the trees much like this to make their homes. However if they settled on the plains, they would use material they brought with them, or sometimes would even break down the wagons and use it as building material." He paused as he took out his canteen and drank, handing it to Sam he continued. "In the late 1800s, homes were four on four homes – meaning they were four boxes stacked upon each other. Usually they were 16 feet by 16 feet squares, set side by side, leaving about 7 feet between each set of boxes on the bottom. That would become the main hallway."

"So that's why the older homes look like they are boxes, and are the same dimensions," Sam said. She helped push the piece of wood they had finished slicing to the side, coming around to help carry the piece over to the pile where others were cutting the lengths down or shaving off the bark. "How would they build the second story without modern equipment?"

"Well it was much more dangerous. Sometimes they would help their neighbors, like the barn raisings they had years earlier. They would help one neighbor with the framing, and sometimes the finishing of the second story and roof. It was a hard ordeal to raise a roof," Daniel said as they prepared to cut the next plank. "How's your hand?"

"Sore. I think I need to change it before we cut this piece," Sam said, looking at the hand. During their first week, she had tried to grab a knife that one of the guards was wielding at a frightened young boy. Her hand was sliced and she was taken to a shed and had her hand whacked until it was black and blue and bloody. Now they took off the strip of cloth Daniel had ripped off from his cloth pants, and exposed the wound.

"It's healing. It does not look as bad at least," Daniel said with an encouraging smile. Pouring some water into a cup they had near by, he soaked the cloth in it, getting some of the fried blood off it. He poured some of the water on her hand, cleaning the wound the best they could. Sitting back they rested for a moment longer before wrapping her hand back up.

"Ok, I'm ready," Sam said as Daniel tied the knot. She looked into his blue eyes and nodded. "I'll be ok. We need to get this done."

"Your turn for topic," Daniel said as he helped her up and went around to his side of the handsaw.

She smiled. "I have been enjoying listening to the beginnings of modern construction. I hope to make my topic half as interesting."

"I promise not to glaze over and ask dumb questions," Daniel grinned. "Pick your topic."

"Well, I have always liked watching ice skating. It's a secret passion Janet, Cassie and I indulged every winter," Sam said. She waited a moment and saw Daniel intently watching her. She smiled and continued to talk about her favorite ice skating memories, amazing Daniel once more at the diverse likings of the woman he worked with for 10 years.

* * *

Dinner was more slop – creamy mashed potatoes with that salty gravy the SGC commissary seemed to be experts in making. They walked about the camp of 14 huts, ten for the laborers, and 4 for the guards, enjoying the light breeze that nipped with a warning of winter. 

"If we could figure out where we are, maybe we can get to the Gate before they knew we were gone," Daniel said.

"Nice plan, but I think these mean guys would expect that and after trying to interfere already," she held up her hand, "I am kind of wary to try something right now. But trust me, between us I know we can come up with something and get home."

"And maybe free these people," Daniel said, looking around as he sat on a log outside their hut.

"None of them are very talkative, but then again we are still new," Sam said, sinking beside him. The breeze picked up a bit and blasted them, sending a shiver down Sam's spine. Without hesitation, Daniel shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around her.

"We will make it home, one way or the other. I am sure they are just waiting for us," Daniel said, staring at the stars.

"You might scare them with that beard of yours," she said, scratching it. They laughed, letting the tension of the drain away a bit. "Of course with this very nonmilitary cut I am starting to sport, I suppose I have no room to say anything."

"Once you start telling them how the Gate works, they will know exactly who you are. Shoulder length hair and all," he smiled.

Turning back to the stars he wondered how he could make sure she got safely away from the camp and whoever was really holding him. Each night they would drag him to a separate hut where the men would gather, 19 including the guards, and watch as they tortured and raped one of the four other women. He knew it would be a matter of time before they noticed he and Sam were not married and come after her as well.

Hearing Sam sigh, he pulled her close and decided to go into the hut before the guards would come looking for the entertainment that night.


	6. Week 3

"Who was your first boyfriend?" Daniel asked as they walked back to the small village of huts they were quickly realizing was going to become their temporary home.

They had finished the two fallen trees and had been assigned digging duties, and warmer coats and clothing since winter had descended on Tynir, making the already gray sky feel even more oppressive. They wrapped their clothing tighter as they climbed a hill out of the valley and were met with a cold draft.

"Well that's a conversation starter," Sam smiled. "I know my first boyfriend was in kindergarten. He would chase me around the playground and class and eventually cornered me and kissed me. But if you want the first real boyfriend that would have been," Sam paused. "Brad Skky in seventh grade. He was a friends twin brother and we thought it was the coolest thing if Brad and I got married we would be friends for life. He was the one who all the girls wanted to date, and apparently just because he was seeing me did not stop him from seeing a few others." Sam shrugged. "There were some in high school, obviously Jonas Hanson – the real good find – in flight school. But really, Pete was the last boyfriend. And no matter that the grapevine says Jack and I never got together. Ok so we had dinner once after he helped Cassie move, and we stayed up until the sun cam up, but after that we could see we were not really suppose to be together. You?"

"Oh well I was considered a 'pretty boy ' in school, but never had to worry about having a boyfriend," he grinned. Sam laughed and swatted at him. "I guess my first real serious girlfriend was Sara Gardner. In college not many were really into dating a guy who was high school age. Obviously Sha're and I had a rather short courting time before we went straight to marriage," he said. He looked off to the hills that already had snow on them, a thoughtful look passing over him. "I always wondered what it would be like to have someone who would understand everything I did, and in a way I had it in Sha're, but even then I felt I was settling. Ok so I was also temporarily trapped on the planet, and was married, so I did not have many options. It was kind of liberating when the Stargate was activated and you came through. With Jack and the rest of the team," he quickly added.

"I can relate to that. Pete was supportive of my job. Then he found out exactly what it was and he was concerned. It was as if I had no say in where the future of my career went. He would say things like 'Our children need a mother,' as if they were running around already. I want to find someone who is willing to just talk about all the possibilities, not force one on me." She paused and looked at Daniel. "Makes me sound like a hard feminist doesn't it?"

"No, I think it's that you want to find a partner who respects you. You want to find mutual respect. Sara was willing to let me sit in the library for hours doing stuff but would cut me off when I presented a theory. Well, she knows now I am right," Daniel chuckled.

"I'm glad you are here, Daniel," Sam said softy, laying a hand on his arm. "I would be insane with anyone else."

"I'm glad you are here too. Well I guess we are not glad to be _here_, but at least with each other. It does make the time go faster," Daniel agreed.

They arrived to their hut and went inside, having an hour before dinner would be served. They huddled around the small heater that their captors had brought in soon after the first frost had appeared. They were talking about what they thought that night's meal would be when the door was flung open and a guard came in. Looking over them, eyeing Sam a bit more, He motioned for them to go outside. Daniel let Sam go first, standing between her and the guard who was still hungrily eying her. He was still keeping the late night activities the guards sometimes dragged him to from Sam; she did not need to know what could be done to her.

"Okay, stop pushing. We're here," Daniel said hotly to the guard who prodded his back. They were let into one of the guard tents and stood before a man in a long fur and leather coat. His back was to them as he talked quietly to the two others who were standing before him. As they left, the man before them growled to the guard to leave.

Turning slowly, Sam gasped and Daniel felt a cold shiver run down his back. There stood the man who commanded them to go talk to the warring tribe, the man who told the guards to work the captives, and the man who had patiently taught Daniel the customs he needed to learn so he could devise a treaty between the tribes.

"Din," Daniel hissed.

"Doctor Jackson. Samantha Carter," he reached out to stroke Sam's cheek, not moving fast enough to block the total blow of Daniel's punch. "You will pay!" Din yelled as he withdrew a knife.

"Daniel, please," Sam whispered, almost pleading with him. She laid her hands on his back, as strange warmth flowing through him.

Suddenly three guards came from the side, gripping Daniel as they dragged him to the corner, giving him small cuts as he struggled. Sam watched as he bravely fought, always keeping an eye on Din who was approaching like a cat hunting its prey.

"You will do me the honor to fight me," Din hissed. "No woman can think she is worthy to be a hunter. No woman can think herself worthy to be negotiating a treaty with a man who possibly is not her husband." He yanked her hair, pulling her into a headlock. "You will be mine if it is true Doctor Jackson is not your husband."

He pushed her through the flap of the tent, sending her sprawling into the frosty ground. Sam looked up to see Din toss his knife to her and Daniel being dragged by the three guards outside as well. "You are giving me a knife?" she asked.

"I must say I had you fairly," he said as he pulled a longer knife, almost a short sword out from one of the guard's belts. "If Doctor Jackson does not lay claim to you, I will let the guards have you after I am done."

Sam looked at him and back to Daniel. She got up and summoned all the combat training she had ever had. "No man will ever claim me that I have not offered myself to first." She carefully plotted her battle strategy as Din swung at her, sending her into the snow and scraping her hand.

Daniel hopelessly looked on, wrestling against the guards and the knives that were on him. He felt the blood trickle down his throat as he nicked himself, and settled down a bit. He would be of no use to Sam if he sliced himself on the enemies' blade.


	7. Fights

Sam grimaced as she looked into Daniel's eyes. The compassion and patience that lived there were slowly dying. He had to be stronger now, seeing it his duty to defend her. She lay in the snow and mud, still not sure why Din did not go through with his threat. Maybe it was the sight of Daniel yelling at him to leave her alone; to let them prove his claims of marriage to Sam were true. She closed her eyes, not sure what that meant for their friendship. Now, he was stooped to make sure the cut above her eye was not bleeding too badly when their eyes met.

"Can you get up?" he asked gently, the fire slowly burning. He could hear the mocking and jeering just as she could.

"Yes, I'm fine," Sam said, laying a hand on his arm. "Please, just let's just get back into our room." A tear trailed down her cheek, being brushed away gently by his cut hands.

"They can't hurt you like that," he said, the fire leaping back into his eyes. He helped her up and in one smooth motion threw a punch into one of the guard's face.

He could not react fast enough and held his nose as he tried returning it. Daniel effortlessly dodged the intended blow, as well as the other man who had joined in the fight. The two now stood beside Daniel, trying to stop him from punching them. No matter what they did, they could not grab him again.

Sam's teary eyes were fixed on Daniel as she shooed the woman who had come beside her. She watched as he ducked and punched, suddenly recoiling from a punch that came from a third person. Sam stifled a cry as she watched her teammate, her defender and best friend, go down on one knee, only to be kicked fully to the ground. The two men laughed and were about to kick him again, when Din stepped in front of Daniel.

"Enough. Doctor Jackson has learned not to defend those who should not be defended," he said, turning an icy gaze to Sam. "Let him heal so he can defend his claim on Samantha."

Two other workers, Seth and Bis, scurried out to help Daniel as the guards and Din left them. They helped Daniel up, leading him past Sam as she struggled to get up without becoming too light headed. As the men laid Daniel on the single bed in the room, Sam hobbled in and gave them weak smiles. Dipping a cloth in the water basin beside the furnaces, she sat on the edge of the bed.

"That was stupid, Daniel," she chided softly. She wiped the blood away from his lip, and gingerly pushed his top up to could already see that there were bruises forming. "You better not have broken anything."

"I would break anything if it would protect you," he whispered.

"Don't let Dr. Lam hear you. She would have you hanging in a sling for ages. You know you are the entire infirmary's favorite patient," Sam smiled.

"I would break anything if it would protect you," he said again, lifting a hand to brush her hair away from her own cuts. "I know any of the guys would, but I seem to be the one always taking the punches." He chuckled slightly and quickly grimaced as he laid a hand on his side.

"I know you guys would do anything for me, and I think deep down Cam would lay down for Vala to –"

"It's a man thing."

Sam smiled. "Yes, it's a man thing. Let me see if I can find another blanket, you need to stay warm."

"And you also. Don't neglect yourself," Daniel said, his blue eyes once more filling with concern and compassion.

"Let's get another blanket, then we can talk about me," Sam said. Standing she placed the cloth in the basin, watching the blood tint the water. Taking the bowl out she closed the door, to find herself surrounded by the two men who had brought Daniel in.

"Sam-anth-a?" Bis asked uncertainly. She nodded and he asked her if "her companion" was well in Tynirese.

"He will be alright. I will be fine also," she said. Since becoming captives in the workers camp she and Daniel were becoming better in Tynirese. "I will need more water and another blanket."

"I have fresh water and some of the meal," Seth said, handing her the two bowls.

"I will bring a blanket and fresh wood," Bis supplied.

Sam nodded gratefully. She had found, no matter what Daniel hinted at with the men of the planet, those who were confined with them, were compassionate. Several had also stood up to the guards as the few women were being mistreated. A few had left the camp, only to be returned half-dead.

"We wish to hold a small meeting in your hut. We wish to talk to you and your companion," Seth said, looking at Bis who was nodding.

"Give me a few moments and we will be ready," Sam said. They nodded and walked back to their huts. She turned and walked back into the hut and placed the bowls down by the stand. "Daniel?"

"I have not moved," he said. She brought the bowl over and he looked at it. "Macaroni and cheese?"

"It's better then fried chicken with corn dressing," she said. Laughing as he wrinkled his nose, she went on, "Seth and Bis want to talk to us. Are you up to having them here?"

Sitting up further and gently taking the bowl, he nodded. "Company would be nice. Not that yours is not nice. More company is nice."

"I got it the first time." She patted his leg and got up to pour water into a cup, unlatching the door as one of the men knocked and come in. Handing the cup to Daniel, Sam gestured to the two small chairs they had fit into the room. "Thank you for all you have been doing. What did you want to talk to us about?"

"The other day Bis and I were working in the field, clearing the snow that had come down, and we came across a strange object. It was unlike the carts we use to bring the trees to the cutters. It did not have wooden wheels and was in a strange formation," Seth said.

"Go on," Daniel said, handing the rest of the meal to Sam so she could eat.

"It was shorter than a man, but had a claw on it, a strange net around it," Seth continued. "It was long, with boxes on the side. It had the letters of 's', 'g'…"

"'C'," Daniel finished. He looked over to Sam who had put the bowl away. She looked back at him. Switching to English he breathed, "You think it could have come down here?"

"I don't know. We don't even know where the Gate is compared to us. I mean it wouldn't be wise to have us so near to the Gate." Looking back at Seth, she asked, "Where did you find this?"

"If you are well tomorrow, which I doubt you will be, we will show you."

"Why don't we go tonight?" Daniel said eagerly, throwing the blanket back, only to let out a small gasp and yelp as he twisted his torso, hitting one of his bruised ribs. "Or not," he added as Sam helped him back to his side of the small bed.

"We will leave," Bis said. "We will come by in the morning and bring you another meal. You have been good to us as we have become hurt, we now can do the same."

"Thank you," Sam said, with tears in her eyes. She saw them out and watched as they crossed back to the hut they shared. Turning back to Daniel who was lying staring at the ceiling, she whispered, "You think we might be able to go home soon?"

Shifting to make room for her, he patted the now empty part of the bed. "Much sooner than we thought." As Sam slipped between the blankets, he protectively wrapped his arms around her, trying to warm her cold hands and feet with his own. "Much sooner than I thought," he whispered as he drifted to sleep.

* * *

Sam woke slowly, stiff and still tired. She gave a yawn and a mini stretch, feeling Daniel's arm resting comfortably in the curve of her waist. He shifted, snuggling into the back of her neck, catching her off guard as she felt his lips brush the light hairs on her neck.

"I don't want to lose you, Sam," he murmured sleepily. Sam glanced behind her, at Daniel, sure he was still asleep, but was surprised when two very blue eyes met hers. "It's too cold when you leave."

Sam let out a sigh and a smile as she turned on to her back, his arm now resting across her belly. "Afraid I will take all the warmth with me?" she asked playfully.

"Yes," he said seriously. "I fear every day that I will wake and find you gone. In that hut, hurt and …" he paused. "I'm just glad you are here."

She smiled once more and stroked the arm that rested on her abdomen. "I have no plans on going any where. My body kind of just wants to lie here."

"Then lie with me," Daniel said, snuggling another kiss into the side of her neck.

Sam stilled. What was wrong with him? Besides being kicked, punched and cut yesterday, Sam could not remember any reason for his strange behavior. Clearing her throat he said, "I am. I'm your blanket, remember?"

"I know. But … for you to be safe, you have to lie with me."

"What?" Sam shifted into a sitting position, very awake, and now exposed to the cooler air, quickly becoming colder. "You mean… you mean like sleep with you? More than just sharing the bed with you? I mean more than …" Sam swallowed. "You mean have sex with you?"

Daniel looked at her. "Yes," he said slowly. "It's the only way to show that we are married."

"But we are not!"

"But we have to be."

"What? I mean why? We've been doing just fine."

"Sam, Din wanted to rape you yesterday, and then he was going to pass you around like he has done with the other women in the camp," Daniel sighed. "I did not want to tell you since, well, since I figured you would. … It was wrong of me not to tell you."

"Raped? The other women?" Sam asked shocked. "I suspected they were, but … but to know…. Is that why you insisted the small hut with one bed was efficient?"

"Partially. I also figured I might freeze or be lonely without you."

Sam looked back down at Daniel. He wanted to sleep with her; have sex with her. It was blowing past all dating, marrying and the general "I love you" parts she was expecting. She had never let herself entertain the thought – she was a female and he was a male, a very nice looking male. She never though that Daniel would want the same thing, have her really, for very long.

_No, not the same thing, here he is protecting me_, Sam thought sadly. She smiled weakly as she thought about it. She was sad he only wanted to protect her and that it was only just protection. He had already proven he would physically protect her from Din and the guards, protect her from being the next woman they violated night after night and as Sam sat still, she frowned slightly.

"We have a lot to talk about then," she said simply, clutching the blankets as she once more lay down beside Daniel. Suddenly more than just her teammate and best friend, a man who wanted to become her lover to protect her. _Does it really mean nothing to him but my own safety?_ Sam wondered as she lay still beside Daniel, her mind fighting all rational and irrational thought.


	8. Discoveries

_A/N: A HUGE HUG and THANK YOU to all who are reading this fic, and are telling me how they are enjoying it! I will drop a small spoiler: some want to see Sam!Action - so I will rewrite a chapter, and give it to you... just not yet. Really am sorry... sorta. But in the mean time... I hope you enjoy this and more!_

* * *

Daniel let Sam warm up to the idea of them having to prove their "marriage" was real. He knew it was a big thing for him to offer and, no matter what she thought as she stared into the night, he would never offer to do that with just anyone. Deep down he was sure she wished there were other options, but two days after fighting with Din, a guard brought a letter from Din, setting a time and place for the "public pronouncement of marriage." 

Sam had looked away as he read the words. He admitted he felt himself blush like mad. Words would not be accepted; the act had to be done. As they trudged through the snow, hands buried deep inside their own coats, hardly touching except when the lost their footing, Sam silently steeled herself for the very real possibility that she would have to be put on display and prove she could let herself be touched by Daniel. More than just touched, sleep with him.

"What rhymes with froze?" Daniel asked, suddenly breaking into her thoughts.

"Toes," Sam said after a beat. "Like my toes are frozen. Well, more like froze a long time ago."

"Nose. I think it's on my face," Daniel said, turning toward Sam. "Is it still there?"

"Yes."

"Good. I don't want to walk around with a nose that froze along with your toes, while we doze."

Sam gave a soft smile. Stopping as they came to where their station was, they picked up the buckets that they hauled dirt with. Daniel let the silence settle between them like the fresh snow around them.

She had tended to him the previous night, as she did for the past two nights, but had hesitated a bit as she pressed the cloth to his side. They had always been close, hugging, giving small reassuring touches, Daniel brushing them all away as friendship, normal. But the way she reacted when she pressed the cloth to his side the second time was a bit more… he could not figure it out. It was still gentle, he still hurt and a bruise was forming, but her left had had slid across his abs, almost appreciating the six-pack he had worked on for years to maintain.

"Is that Seth up there?" Sam said quietly.

"Yes. The MALP. It must be near," Daniel said, excited. It was the first day he felt well enough to do heavy lifting, having convinced the guards Sam needed to tend to him for the past three days as well.

"Dan-iel, Sam-anth-a. Come this way," Seth said as they came closer. "It is over this hill, Bis is uncovering it now."

The three of them walked quickly to where Bis was standing beside a large object. Brushing off snow, Bis pointed to the SGC logo, raising Sam and Daniel's spirits high. "Is this the object you know?"

"Yes, it's equipment that came with us when we came to trade with Din and your people," Daniel said, hands quickly brushing the snow away from the control panel.

"Din does not represent all of us," Seth said quietly. "We in the camp are loyal to our hearts or some have been pressed into service for crimes. Bis and I, as I have said before, were wanting to leave and go to the other tribe across the mountain."

Sam nodded and watched anxiously as Daniel pried the control panel door off. "Frozen," she muttered, moving beside Daniel. "The wires, the equipment. It's all frozen. I know I should not be surprised, but…"

"I know. Part of me was hoping it would be easy too." Daniel ran a hand over the wires, and looked at Sam. "Can it be repaired?"

"How would we contact anyone? The Gate is not close by is it?"

Daniel looked expectantly up at Bis and Seth. "The Gate, the, the Stone of Light. Is it near here?"

The two exchanged a glance and shook their heads. "It is beyond here. Over a few hills at least."

"Then how did it get all the way here?" Daniel thought out loud.

"Maybe it was not by accident. Maybe someone controlled it here," Sam answered. "Maybe Colonel Mitchell and General Landry are looking for us."

"Its been at least two months, Sam," Daniel said. "I know they may not have believed that we were killed by a warring tribe that does not seem to exist, but…" Daniel swept a hand toward the MALP, "to have driven the MALP around to look for us? Why not just come back themselves?"

"Maybe someone told them it was too dangerous for them to come physically through the gate. Maybe the only option was to maneuver the MALP to explore the land," Sam countered.

Daniel looked at her and thought about it. Turning to Bis, he asked if the "cart" had been here long.

"It appeared last week. We found it further up on the hill last week when we were still at the mill, but it was gone and then we found it here."

"It moved? Did you move it?"

"No. We don't know what it is, I put a cover on it – the one it came with – and then let the snow bury it when we worked. During the night I would leave it where I found it."

"If the wires are frozen now and it may have moved last week," Sam said as her eyes lit up. "That could mean the wires are just a bit cold, but not hurt by the cold. After all it is shielded from the heat, why not the cold?"

"So you think it could be turned on?" Daniel asked. He watched as Sam thought about it, a part of his heart breaking. Home was suddenly closer, but he felt with home being so near he would never be able to tell Sam about his deepest longings. His offering to sleep with her was more than protection, it was a way he could comfortably talk to her, explore her feelings. Now that the MALP stood before him, he knew it would never happen.

"It will take a few days to look at this. And we can't just work on this; I really don't feel like living in pain while we are here," Sam said standing beside him. "Oh," she said softly.

"What?"

"We have… our thing… at the end of the week."

"Well, we'll just work on both, and just because we get the MALP up, does not mean we can get to the Gate. I don't want to be the rain on the parade, but we have to look at it as if it may not work."

Sam nodded, taking her bucket and turned to walk back down the path to where they were stationed. "I know. I just, I just don't want to face the… public. That's all."

Daniel sighed and gave her a small smile. _At least it was not a rejection of you, Jackson_, he said to himself as they trudged back to the dirt pile.

* * *

Sam was silent for the rest of the time. She felt badly for defusing Daniel's attests at a conversation, but the quietness also seemed to distract her. Her mind raced – the MALP was found, there was a possibility of escape, and then there was Daniel. Daniel's offer. Her heart leapt, plummeted and felt like someone had put it to the blender when she though about it. It was natural to be on the same team as three rather good looking men – the whole SGC female population agreed – and notice how handsome they were. 

Teal'c was strong and a warrior. He could lift small trees, Sam was sure, without breaking much of a sweat. He had the courage of a lion and the resolve of a predator with its prey in site. Freedom was his goal: personal freedom, his family's freedom, and his people's freedom. Each had been tested, and in all he had prevailed, stood fast to his convictions.

Jack O'Neill was the unwavering commitment that Sam identified with. He had lost his son; Sam lost her mother. He was committed to his new family, even if at first he had his reservations with Sam and Daniel. He never left them behind, never went far enough for him to loose them for long, and would never except that the Gou'ald were more powerful then his weapons. His quick wit and his self-doubting intelligence belied his real deep humor and brilliance.

Cameron Mitchell had proven to be a mix of the men. He had the humor and the brilliance to get them into situations, and the strength to have them waltz out of them again. He smiled easily, laughed heartily and was not afraid to grab a gun and talk things out. Sam had seen a resemblance in him and Daniel as they worked together, making her a bit hesitant to accept the position back on SG-1.

Daniel. Daniel had the "complete package" as her father once commented. He was brilliant and could keep up with her at any thought that came they explored, he gladly came along for the ride through cracking any problem and he lit up every time there was a new something placed in front of him. Sam knew it was the same look she got; her father and Jack had commented numerous times. Even Cam had noticed. Daniel had been the shy geek, awkward to be in military clothing that he was issued, but had transformed himself into the confident man who knew his place in the SGC, even if he was still a bit unsure where he fit in the Universe.

Sam had noticed the physical a bit more the previously night. She had let herself brush his abs which had suddenly looked very prominent beside the cream cloth and cold air. She had thoughts of him, thoughts about them being physical, falling in love, having a future. Somehow all that had made its way into her hand as she brushed him. It sent a shiver down her spine, and Daniel must have felt the same since he lightly too hold f her wrist and had looked into her eyes.

Pushing the bucket back onto the cart, Sam paused and wiped a sleeve across her forehead. How it could be so cold that the snow was still on the ground and her being so hot, still amazed her. She closed her eyes and breathed in the cold air, burning her hot lungs. She opened them to see Daniel untie his unisex wraparound top the Tynir people had given them when they set out to negotiate. He sat down on part of the stone that was not covered with snow and leaned his arms on his legs, pushing his fingers through his shaggy hair and brushed them down the beard he had. Sam found herself almost longing to run her fingers through his hair, and before she could stop her own feet, she was standing before him.

"Daniel?" she asked, clearing her throat.

"Yes?" He still had his head in his hands, but quickly looked up when he felt Sam's finger run through his tangled hair. "Sam?"

"Shh," Sam soothed. "We have a few days before we have to be on the stage, we may as well get used to this." She knelt before him and pushed his hair back, looking into his eyes. "You have given me time to think, but I can't deny that the end of the week is coming and it does not look like I will be able to get the MALP fixed. Even if we get it fixed, it is not guaranteed that we can find the Gate, or that we can go home soon." She looked away before continuing. "Besides I can't think of anyone else I would want to be facing such a predicament with."

Daniel turned her face and looked at her face. Brushing some of the dirt away from her cheek, lightly brushing over the cuts that were healing, he smiled. "I don't know; I wake up cranky most mornings when I am not in pain."

"Oh, well, that's most days, right?" she joked, feeling tears spring to her eyes. "I wanted it to be perfect," she whispered.

"Wanted what perfect?"

She felt a hot tear trail down her cheek. "Us."

Daniel felt his heart explode, and wanted to pull her into his heart and roll in the snow, shout for joy and just quietly love her. "Us?" he asked shakily.

Sam pulled him to his feet with her and wrapped her arms around Daniel, her hands roaming his back. On her tiptoes she pulled him closer, leaning into his side she whispered into his ear. A small smile graced her lips as he took her into his arms and lightly placed his chin into her hair. He felt her tears trickle down her cheek that was firmly placed on his chest. "Me too," he whispered as the winter air stirred. "Me too."


	9. Lights and Shadows

Daniel left the hut quickly, once more trying hard not to gag. The guards were becoming more blood thirsty, or rather more sex hungry. Two new workers had come to the small hut town, and were being 'introduced' to the rest of the men. Bis and Seth looked on with Daniel, all three of them waving off the 'introduction' part of the night. They really wanted to wave all of the ceremony off, but the guards had insisted, and Daniel really did not feel like having his ribs broken for real, or a knife dug into any part of his body.

Opening the door, he saw a sliver of light coming from the furnace, casting a light glow on Sam who was sitting at the end of the bed. A drab blanket hung over her shoulders as she clung to it, barely stopping the shudders that racked her body. Stepping across the small floor, Daniel slipped the extra blanket over her and hugged her close.

"Sam, what's wrong?" he asked quietly, her tears melting his heart further.

"I can't do it. I can't get the MALP to work, I can't figure out how to do a communication line without it and moreover I can't…" she turned and buried her head into his shoulder. Looking up to him with her blue eyes brimming with tears, she softly said, "I can't touch you."

"Sam," Daniel said, stroking her hair. "I know this is not what we envisioned – ever – but…. Sam I will not have them do to you what they have done to the others."

A loud shrill sound pierced the end of his sentence, making Sam sit bolt upright. "No. Oh Gawd, Daniel. You were… you had to…"

"They make us… watch. We don't have to … participate. Sam, I can't let you be… violated like that."

Sam looked back to him and gave a very sad smile. "You want to be the one?"

"Sam," Daniel snapped. Closing his eyes and rubbing them he shook his head. "Sorry. No. If that is what you think… Gawd I don't see any other way. If you really can't find a piece of your heart to not only say that you love me but act on it… I can't protect you tomorrow. I want desperately to protect you."

Sam looked away, tears once more in her eyes. She hated to have Daniel so close and not let herself be honest. She did want to touch him – be touched by him – anything to mark her as a married woman in the eyes of Din and his guards. More than just in the eyes of their captors, to be his wife in every sense of the word. In her heart of hearts, Sam wanted to know that what she had told him the previous day and what he had said back were true, and that they could go home and announce it to everyone.

"Captivity has made me realize I love you," Sam had whispered. It haunted her as they walked back, arms around one another. She had made peace with what they had to do. What her heart wanted to do for a long time. But the sun streaming in that morning, a guard grinning down at them had chased the light mood she was starting to have. His dark figure cast a dark shadow over her heart. To have _him_ possibly watching her, gave her shivers even Daniel's strong arms could not chase away. The thought that _he_ could be raping her sent her into a quiet place.

"Sam? Sam?" Daniel asked softly, bringing her back into the present. Shaking her slightly, he lifted her chin up and looked into her blue eyes. "Colonel."

"Yes," Sam replied. Blinking once she nodded, chin still cupped in Daniel's hands that were slowly turning rougher. Steeling herself, she said with more force, "Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes, I will let you protect me; I need your protection. Yes, I will let you sleep with me; honestly I almost need you too to keep me whole." Sam lowered her eyes and brought her hands up to his face. "Yes, I love you with every bit of my heart; I fear it will burst if I don't."

A smile graced Daniel's lips for the first time that day. "I will always protect you. I will never let you break. And I have always loved you with everything I have."

Sam stroked his bearded face and returned the smile. It was one of those smiles that reached deep into her eyes, sending resolve into Daniel. "I think I can deal with this shaggy thing; I have never really been one to kiss guys with facial hair. But you," Sam looked back into his eyes, passion suddenly leaping in them. "You have been the exception to every rule."

She slid a hand behind his neck and moved closer. Before she let her lips hover over his, she closed her eyes, wanting to savor every moment. Daniel brushed his lips over hers before capturing them. He slid a hand down her back, and let the one cupping her chin stroke her cheek lovingly. Deepening the kiss, he felt Sam tighten her hold on him, crushing their bodies together as much as their position allowed. Slipping an arm around her waist, he moved to his side and laying Sam down on the bed, hovered his body slightly over her. Finally he left her lips, a sigh escaping from her.

"Coffee beans," she sighed as she opened her eyes.

"What?"

"You still taste like coffee beans," she explained.

"Mmmm, good to hear. You remind me of sunshine and a cool river," Daniel said, stroking her hair away from her eyes. "I love sunshine and rivers."

"I love you, Daniel. I'm sorry it's taken so long…"

"Shh. No regrets, Sam. And I love you too." He kissed her again. "Feel a bit better?"

"If that is your version of medication, I want to be sick all the time," Sam sighed, weaving her fingers once more in his shaggy hair. "Yes. I feel a whole lot better."

Daniel smiled and leaned down and kissed her neck softly. "I can't take it all away."

"Daniel," Sam pulled his head up slightly and looked into his eyes. "As weird as it sounds, I don't care. I don't care who sees us; don't care who knows. If the only thing that comes out of our," she pulled her hands away and did air quotes, "'public pronouncement of marriage', is this, then it is worth it. I don't think I have ever been so happy."

"I want to love you, Sam-anth-a," Daniel said, passion in his eyes matching hers.

"I want to have you love me, Dan-iel." Sam laughed as Daniel made a face. "Daniel. Danny." He looked at her and smiled. "My Danny?"

"My Sammy?" he said as she laughed again.

"You and my dad. I will never let another man call me that."

"Good." Daniel kissed her, rough hands brushing over some of her exposed skin where her top rode up a bit. "Sammy," Daniel breathed. "Will you marry me?"

"A hundred times over, Danny."

"Sam?" Daniel asked once more. "May I make you my wife tomorrow?"

"Why wait?" Sam said, a huskiness coming over her as she looked into the eyes of the man she loved with everything she had in her.

"I want it to be very special. I want what was meant to be a humiliation to be a celebration."

"Daniel. I know the ways of a man; I'm not naive. Are you sure?"

"In a few minutes? No. But if you want it tonight," Daniel kissed her deeply to make his point.

"I guess we will have many, many nights to explore this. Might as well start with a bang. Might as well use it as a smack to them," Sam said as she went back to stroking his cheek. "I think they will be surprised."

"Oh?" Daniel said, an eyebrow rising.

"You strike me as a very passionate lover."

"Sam," Daniel growled. "If there is not to be anything tonight, I need to leave. I can't sleep in this bed without reaching for you and showing just how passionate I can be."

Daniel gave her one last kiss and got up. He retied his wraparound, which had come undone when Sam had raked her fingers down his chest. Kissing her lightly on the cheek he said good night and took a blanket to sleep outside on the small bench that held their huts water basin.

Sam smiled as he closed the door, reaching beside to feel the warmth that Daniel had left. Wrapping the remaining blanket around her, she smiled into the dark once more as she realized this would be the last night she would ever be cold again.

* * *

Daniel moved quietly into the hut as soon as he woke up from loud sounds coming from the main hut. He did not want to be seen sleeping outside. Of course he could always say he and Sam had had a fight and she demanded for him to sleep somewhere else. Seeing her sleep in the bed, golden locks now past her shoulders and spread over the pillow, Daniel smiled and lightly kissed her exposed nose. She smiled and sighed as she turned, still asleep.

He gathered some wood and stoked the furnace to warm the small room. He was sitting before the fire, stoking it lightly as he tried to figure out how exactly they should tackle the MALP problem. It was still covered each night, still in the same position each morning, so Daniel and Sam took a small comfort knowing that no one else had found what they were working on when they were 'delivering soil' to the dirt pile. Sam had taken to rewiring the MALP, trying to bypass as many systems as possible but enough to charge the communication device, maybe the video camera if they were lucky. The thing that still got in the way was the fact they did not have their GDO's nor did they know how to open the Gate – or know when the Gate was open.

"I think I need to worry more about you freezing than you being cranky," Sam said as she kissed his cheek. Wrapping her arms around him she looked at the furnace that was slowly dying. "We have a few moments; warm up under the covers."

Daniel poked the furnace and turned and kissed Sam on the lips. "I may not get up."

"Hm, that could be a problem. At least it does not take long to warm up this corner of the room. I swear the temperature dropped last night," Sam said as she slid beside him at the end of the bed and pulled the blanket around him. "Of course I did not have my warming blanket like I usually do. How do you stay so warm?"

Wrapping an arm around her, Daniel smiled and lightly kissed her forehead. "I knew there would be a day when I would be warming up a woman's feet. I just never expected her to be so pretty."

"Daniel," Sam sighed. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes and played with his beard which was full and with his long, shaggy hair. It reminded her of the lumberjacks she would see when she went to the forest with her grandfather to cut down the annual Christmas tree.

"Breakfast," Daniel said, hearing the bell. "I just need to change into some warmer clothes," he said, moving out of the blanket that Sam was putting back on the bed. They stored a pair of clothing near the furnace so they could warm up. Daniel felt a pair of eyes staring at him as he lifted the new top from the pile. Looking back to the bed, he saw Sam unabashedly staring at him. "Yes?"

"Tonight you are going to become my husband. I figure if you are going to change right in front of me, I might as well enjoy it. I have seen all of you guys before, but now," Sam paused, licked her lips and continued. "It's different. I don't have to pretend not to notice. Or like it," she added, quietly.

"You amaze me. So you're telling me there might not be too many surprises tonight, huh?" Daniel said, a gleam in his eyes, mid way through taking off the old top.

"Oh there will be lots of surprises," Sam said, blushing suddenly. "I'm sorry, I should let you get dressed." She turned and got up, moving to the door. Daniel's powerful arms encircling her and kissing her deeply stopped her.

"Don't leave me," Daniel said as he pulled her to his bare chest. "We have been denying that we have been falling in love with one another slowly for years. I can't wait for tonight to show you just how much I do love you. And if you seeing me undress helped you fall, well," he looked into her eyes, a smile and laugh hidden in them. "I would do it for a hundred more years."

Sam gave a soft smile and slid her hand unabashedly, appreciatively over his hard chest. Hard labor had sculpted it into a work of art – a piece she would gladly pay for with her own body if it kept him near. "Breakfast calls, Danny."

"So it does, Sammy." Daniel walked back to the pile and grabbed her top. Handing it to her he stole a kiss and turned around, quickly putting on his top and leaving Sam to change in private.

* * *

The Guards surprised all the workers by telling them that the ground was too cold to dig, too many of the workers would be hurt, impeding the building process more then if they took the day off. The workers looked about and muttered to each other after they all had been led down to the work site.

Bis and Seth walked with Sam and Daniel up to the MALP, making sure to cover their tracks and make new ones should the guards decide to follow. Sam and Daniel talked to Bis who was quickly becoming a very apt mechanic working on the MALP. Seth was the one who walked circles around them, covering tracks and making new ones. Sam asked about the tools Bis was able to take from the small hut at the edge of the work site, Daniel keeping an eye out for Seth and on Sam ahead.

Daniel dug deep into his pockets and fingered the round metal he had asked one of the metal workers to smooth. He had two of them and wished he could have found a brilliant stone that he could also present to Sam. Like any man, he was looking forward to the evening, but felt heavy when he always reminded himself it would not be like in his dreams. He had to make Sam feel at ease with the fact that a private matter would become very public – and for their first time too. He caught Sam's eye and gave her a smile wishing for more options.

* * *

"You're quiet," Sam said as she slid beside him on the rock formation the MALP sat next to. Bis walked back with Seth as the sun shone lower through the bare trees.

"I'm sorry I can't be more help," Daniel said, smiling at her. "I mean I can hold tools, look out for people coming, or get the occasional drink of water."

"Well you can also warm me up by smiling at me, watch out so I don't repeat myself too much, and warm my hands." Sam held out her hands, Daniel quickly grasping them and feeling that they were trembling, buried them against his chest. "And you always know exactly what to do."

"What can I say? I'm a sensitive guy," he smiled and kissed her quickly. "Hey fresh powder fell last night, care to go down one of these hills to get back to were everyone else is?"

"'Fresh powder'?" Sam laughed. "Are we on the slopes outside the SGC?"

"It's a bit different, granted, but there are hills. Besides I found the perfect sled." Daniel pulled her up and moved behind the boulder, pointing to a long piece of wood that had not been striped of all its bark. "It's a rescue. It was either firewood for whomever we are building that house for, or a sled. Care to take a sledding ride?"

"I would love to," Sam said, grinning.

"One thing before we board," Daniel said, reaching into his pocket. Getting on one knee, snow crunching beneath his feet, he looked up at Sam. "ColonelDoctor Samantha Carter, would you do me the greatest honor of my life by becoming my wife?"

"Yes, I said I would. I will become your wife everyday if I could," Sam said, warm tears trickling down her rosy cheeks.

"I did not see a snowman around, and no church, but would you mind if we do a bit of formality to this? I don't want to go into this somehow not married. It feels more complete, tonight will feel more complete," he smiled as she blushed, "if we say some sort of vows."

"Only if I get the reception and cake once we are home," Sam said, giving him a playfully stern look.

"Yes, ma'am." Daniel nodded, seeing her eyes shine with love. "Samantha, I will always love you and protect you. I will not leave you ever. You are my other half of the science equation; you are the one who makes me complete in every way. In sickness, health, rumors of death and even in the occasional ascension, I will never stop loving you. It will always be my honor to be your husband."

Sam wiped the tears from her eyes and said softly, "How can I go after that?" She smiled, giving a small laugh. "Daniel, I will always love and protect you. I will never leave you – ever. You make all science equations make sense because you are my answer. You make me compete in every way too. In sickness, health, all rumors of death – none of them true – and even if you should ascend without me, I will never stop loving you. Until I die and beyond, it will be my honor to be your wife."

"Your ring, my wife," Daniel said, taking her left hand and slipping on the ring that fit perfectly.

"And your ring, my husband," Sam said as she took the offered ring and slipped it on his hand.

Kissing, they felt snow fall down once more around them, making Sam think of them in a snow globe. Daniel suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her laughing onto the partially cut tree as they started sliding down the rather steep hill, their laughter vibrating off the trees and hills as they quickly passed them.


	10. The Cold Nights

A/N: Warning - This chapter contains "The Dance of Claim" - also known as sex. So... this chapter is more like a 'M' rating. If this is not appealing to you, please skip when you get to that part. Thanks!

* * *

Sam stood in the hut and glanced down at her hand and the cool metal that gleamed against her skin. Daniel was stoking the fire and was deep in thought again; Sam did not mind the silence that had descended over them as soon as they returned to the small village. Truthfully she wanted to forget that in a few hours she and Daniel would become 'one flesh' under the watchful, greedy, intrusive eyes of Din and whomever was with him. 

"Daniel?" Sam suddenly said. It sounded like a cry for help from a small child, even to her own ears.

"Oh Sammy," Daniel said, rushing to hold her in the middle of the hut. "Shh. I will protect you as much as I can tonight."

The unspoken subject loomed once more in front of them, this time more real then even a day ago, and Sam sobbed. She sobbed because she was finally with the man who made her feel whole, sobbed because they were trapped and she could do nothing about it, but most of the tears were for that night. She had been with a few men; Daniel had been with a few women. But now, having her wedding night so close, Sam's womanly pride built up a strong wall. She wanted their night to be as perfect as he had made everything else be. She wanted to experience Daniel in the way she had dreamed of in her deepest dreams.

"I don't want to be on show," she said, leaning back a bit to look at Daniel.

"Neither do I. If you want, I can…"

"No. I don't want the memory of our first time being done solely to put me at ease. I mean," Sam looked away. "Danny. Nothing of this has been like it was when I dreamed of us being together. But it has been perfect. You're right, the first time will be our celebration, their mockery."

Daniel smiled and planted a kiss into Sam's hair. "You are the bravest woman I have ever known. I know our kids will be just as brave."

"How did we already get to the part where we have kids?" Sam asked, laughing as she laid her head on his shoulder. "Our kids will be as smart and brave as their father then too."

"Hmm, doubly brave and smart kids. Sounds like winners to me," Daniel said as he held his wife. "I can't wait, Sammy," he added brushing his lips on Sam's.

"You must come with us, now," a deep voice boomed, chasing away any and all romance that had been in the air.

Sam turned in Daniel's arms and looked at the guard, taking up the doorway and with a pair of warm cloaks in his arms. He tossed them the cloaks, Daniel catching them before they landed on Sam, and once more repeated his statement, eyes roaming over Sam's body.

"Don't look at my wife like that," Daniel said hotly as he exited the hut, Sam in front of him.

"I will look at 'your wife' however I please. She means nothing to me. She is only to be used for my enjoyment," the guard said, giving a deep laugh and a rather toothless smile.

"Danny, please," Sam said, moving beside him and wrapping an arm around his waist and a hand on his chest.

Daniel looked down at Sam and brushed some of the snow from her hair. "Never will they use you like that." Sam's warm smile, and eyes shinning with love helped keep him warm as they walked toward a small covered cart, which Daniel assumed would bring them to their marriage bed.

* * *

Sam watched as Daniel was surrounded by women and dragged to one end of the hall as she stood still looking back at the man who stood before her. His eyes roamed her body, and she felt suddenly very small and almost dirty even though he neither spoke nor touched her. 

"You are a very pretty woman, Samantha Carter. You will make the men very happy when they see you stand naked in front of the man who will claim you. It will be a very good show, indeed," Din said, slowly walking around her.

Sam could feel the hot breath through the three layers of clothing she had on, sending icicles down her spine. "No man claims me that I have not already offered m self to," Sam said, staring straight ahead, through clenched jaw. "Daniel Jackson is my husband. And tonight he will show you it is true in every sense of the word."

"Curious. No one has ever said they hear throes of passion coming from your hut. Tell me, does he bring you no pleasure at night?" Din said, a dripping smile coming across his face. "It is a pity that other woman could not have stayed. The man who learned with you – what was his name? Cam-eron I believe. Would have been very valued as a laborer, but the woman, she would have satisfied all my men's desires, I believe. But you, Samantha Carter, you will be lovely too," he purred, taking a piece of the string and pulling it, undoing the bow that held her top layer of the shirt together. "You will be lovely too."

Sam steadied herself as Din kissed her neck, the stench of his desire making her sick. "If my husband would see this…"

"I would kill him." Din slapped Sam across the face, the force making her step aside. "You have no place to tell me what your husband would do to me."

Two men grabbed hold of her arms and walked her toward a small door at the end of the hall, opposite where Daniel had been taken. The door opened and Sam found herself being shoved into the bright room, with three women in black waiting before a small table.

Sam looked at them and greeted them in Tynirese, glad there were no males were in the room. The women lifted their veils and came up to Sam, asking her to relax and enjoy the preparation ceremony. Sam was led to a tub filled with hot water, steam coming off the surface in waves. Two of the women left, leaving Sam and an older lady in the room.

"Please take your garments off, they are filthy. You must work in the fields," the woman said. Taking the top layer of Sam's clothing, she added with a shy smile, "I am called Mara."

"Sam, or Samantha. You prepared this bath?" Sam replied as she stepped from the last of the clothing, and stood rather self-consciously in her underwear and bra.

"Yes. I will leave; I see you are not comfortable with me being in the room." Mara drew back but Sam stopped her.

"Just give me a few moments, then I would like it very much if you came in and sat with me," Sam said, giving a smile to reassure the woman.

Five minutes later Mara came in with a long robe that looked like it was made from sheep's wool. It looked very comfortable; even so Sam imagined it could be rather scratchy. Mara laid it on the back of a small dressing chair and sat beside the tub. Sam accepted the sponge-like material handed to her and began to scrub the thin layer of dirt that had tinted her skin darker than normal. Running a hand down her leg, Sam drew her hands away.

"Mara, do you have anything sharp?" Mara looked alarmed at Sam who had to stop from laughing. "No, no. I don't mean to harm myself, or you. I would like to make myself … acceptable for my husband."

"I will see if there is a knife from the barber's tools he can spare for you," Mara said, getting up and moving to the door.

Sam thanked her, sinking deeper into the tub. Closing her eyes she imagined herself back in her house on Earth after a long hard mission.

* * *

Daniel looked at the mirror the only man in the room handed to him. Thankfully Daniel was able to escape into the bathroom, a grand affair that Daniel regarded in awe for a moment. Taking out a small case the barber had given him Daniel unlaced the kit and placed it open on the counter. Before him were different sized razors, a pair of scissors and a small jar. Opening the jar, Daniel saw it was a primitive form of shaver's cream. 

"I never liked it long," Daniel said to his reflection, tugging at the beard. "As Sam said, it has to go."

Taking the scissors he worked away at it, trimming it down to where it was only lightly covering his face. Stroking his now trimmed beard, back to where it was when he was about to go to Atlantis, if he remembered correctly, he eyed his hair as the next target. It was long, longer than he had it when he first came to the SGC, but not as long as when he was in college. Deciding it need more of a trim than an actual cut, and harboring a small fantasy of Sam grabbing his hair as they made love, he expertly trimmed about an inch from his shaggy brown locks.

Stepping back from the sink and sweeping the hair into the basket, Daniel eyed his reflection once more. "The military would demand my head shaved if they saw me now," he said, packing the bag again. Smiling, he wondered what they would say when they saw Sam and her past the shoulder length golden hair.

* * *

"This is Kendra, my daughter," Mara said as she steered Sam out of the bathroom. "She will help you dress." 

Sam thanked the woman once more as Kendra shyly approached Sam. "I have the garment you are to wear over here. Please put it on and then I can adjust it."

"Why adjust it if it is only to come off?" the other woman asked, giggling. Seeing the stern face of Mara and the frown on Kendra, the woman ducked her head and blushed crimson.

"That's a good question…" Sam said.

"I'm Lynnita."

"Lynnita. That's a good question," Sam replied, a smile gracing her lips. Taking the hanger, Sam stepped behind a changing screen. Whatever was on the hanger looked less like a dress, and more like two pieces of cloth. Putting it on, Sam looked down. It barely covered her breasts, and had a slip down to her navel; the sides of the dress were barely strung together by a thin strand of soft leather. Tying the strands on the side, Sam turned to the mirror that hung on the wall.

Her hair was past her shoulders and hid the small ties on the straps, the part that held the front and back together. The material was soft, but slightly opaque, and was a pale blue and white blend; a pink ribbon trimmed the openings down her front. Coming from around the screen, Sam fingered the sleeveless dress, as it seemed to float over her.

"Oh, it is beautiful," Lynnita sighed, with Kendra and Mara nodding. "It does not need to be adjusted at all. If your husband did not desire you before, he most certainly will now."

Sam blushed slightly, and Mara clucked softly at Lynnita. "I only wish he was the only man who would be desiring me tonight. I don't enjoy the thought of being in the spotlight."

"None who are selected to make a public pronouncement of marriage do, Samantha. Oddly, it is the highest honor for a woman," Mara said, leading her to a seat.

"Your highest honor? On Earth women are not put on stages to have sex with their husbands; we honor females in other ways. On Earth I am of equal rank to any man. They do not make us feel low for us to be honored," Sam said.

Lynnita smiled softly as she brushed Sam's hair. "That is a thought of some women. My sister was one of them. Her husband banished her to the labor village when she refused to lay with his friend. We are both vital and treated as slaves by the men of Tynir. There are some kind men, I am lucky to be married to one." Lynnita paused, "Your world sounds beautiful. You should try to get back as soon as you can."

"I'm trying. I'm trying," Sam said softly, feeling tears come to her eyes.

* * *

Daniel felt very uncomfortable walking in the mist of ten women who were trying to touch his exposed skin. Oddly, he mused, he did not feel uncomfortable wearing a loose tunic like cloth around his waist. He chuckled softly; he had come back from ascension once with a flag offered by Jack from the nearby flagpole. Plus Sam had commented just that morning how she liked to see his bare chest. 

He looked at one of the women who was trying to coo into his ear, and gave her a "go away" look. She quickly backed off and left his side. One thing he never got used to was being looked at with admiration, and the fact that ten women were practically worshiping his body brought slight crimson to his cheeks.

A door was opened, and two guards dismissed the women. They escorted Daniel to a curtain, which they pushed out of the way so he could step out onto a small platform. Candles were everywhere, and Daniel imminently thought of Teal'c when he had a stack of candles in his kel'no'reem'ing days. The soft glow was not bright enough to block the onlookers' faces. Daniel even saw that they sat at long tables, filled with food, and the chatted happily to one another.

"Men of Tynir, council members of far and near tribes, welcome to the Feast of Winter," Din said, appearing on the stage, opposite Daniel. "We have selected, for your enjoyment, a strong and sturdy couple who will perform the Dance of Claim for you tonight. They came as tradesmen through the Circle of Light," Din paused as a small "ohh" brushed through the crowd. "This man has yet to claim one of our own captive females, and on all accounts has not claimed the woman he calls 'wife' yet either."

Loud chatter came from the crowd as they discussed this among themselves. "Tonight it will become clear if this man can claim the woman he shares a hut with or if it is only for some deep need on his part to 'protect,'" Din spat out the word, "the woman."

A roar rumbled through the hall as men stood up and jeered at Daniel. He merely looked on in growing disgust and calmness. He wanted to stop all the men from treating the female part of the population like slaves, but also wanted to make sure he did not jeopardize Sam's safety. So he stood, looking suddenly toward the opposite end of the stage as Din disappeared and a lightly cloaked woman was pushed out.

"Sammy?" Daniel asked, stepping toward the figure. He stopped as her eyes pierced his. She lifted the small, almost transparent hood up, revealing her blue eyes and softly curled hair.

"Danny," she replied softly. She took two steps over to Daniel, fingering the knot on the color that held the cloak over her shoulders.

Daniel saw her eyes tentatively slide toward the edge of the stage, past the bed that was squarely in front of them. "Shh, don't look at them. Only me. Keep your eyes on me," Daniel said, sliding a hand against her cheek. He smiled as she closed her eyes and leaded into his rough hand. He gently kissed her on the forehead and captured her lips with his own.

Sam's body felt like a fire had been stoked as Daniel kissed her. She ran a hand down his chest as the other laced with the hand on her cheek. She felt him let her face go and his hand travel down to the knot that she had bee working on, stopping as he'd begun loosening it. It slipped loose and fell in a tranquil puddle behind her. Daniel pulled back, taking in air, and looked into her eyes.

"I love you Sam."

"And I love you, Daniel." Sam ran fingers through his hair and stared at his beard. "You cleaned up for me?"

"I don't want you to be thinking you're making love to a lumberjack," he said softly, pushing a curl out of her face. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks," she breathed. "You are so handsome."

Daniel kissed her once more, slow and steady, feeling the passion slowly build in Sam's response. Her hands on his chest, on his back, and stroking his face, left small spots of pleasure running through his body. He kissed her neck, listened to her give a small gasp as his hands slid up her sides and cupped her breasts. He pulled back slightly and for the first time noticed the small laces that held the dress together, that held it on her.

"Sam," he moaned as he brushed his fingers over her nipples, and moved her closer to the bed. "I love you so."

* * *

A/N: Please skip ahead if you so desire.

* * *

She responded by pulling him to the bed, hands roaming his back and kissing him passionately. The dress moved between their skin as she pulled a leg up, dragging it along his bare one, making him shift her in his arms. Once more his hands dragged up her side, catching the small loop of the bow and giving it a gentle tug. It came undone, and Daniel slipped his hand under the slit, touching her bare skin and enjoying the fact his beautiful bride was experiencing as much pleasure as he was. 

After the first side lace was loosened and the right side soon followed, Daniel lifted her up slightly, slipping his hands under the almost not there dress, and slowly dragged it upward, finally letting it float to the floor as Daniel's eyes and hands finally took in the first sight of Sam's body. It almost glowed as he looked at her, placing careful kisses on her neck, collarbone and shoulders. The candles around the stage, around the bed, softened the glow of her perfect skin and Daniel smiled, catching the burning passion that was heating Sam's eyes.

"Daniel. Please, I don't know how much I can take," Sam breathed as he once more caressed her back and placed small, hot kisses right under her ear. "Please, Danny, make love to me."

He lay Sam fully on the bed and undid, with her insistent help, the fabric around his waist. Sam's eyes dragged up his body, amazed once more that such a physique had been truly hidden from her for years. "Oh Gawd, Sam, you are like my own fire pit. You burn me so deeply. I love you so much."

Sam stilled as they joined. A deep kiss followed as he set a slow, steady pace. She had known a few men, but none had been so loving when they first began. Most were ready to rip her clothes off and have her like a primal animal. Daniel took his time. Much like he had done the previous evening, as he had just done, Daniel was slow, careful, and, ultimately looking to make sure she was all right, was enjoying every bit of the experience. Daniel quickened, shifted and sent Sam into louder moans.

No thoughts passed through Daniel's mind as he took Sam, slow and steady. He wanted to make each moment perfect as he stroked her hair, kissed her eyelids and whispered softly how unending and never dying his love for her was. A secret smile graced their lips as he increased the pace, capturing her moans as they filled their world.

Her heart exploded. Her body seem as if it was floating in the air as Daniel brought her to the top of the mountain of their bliss. She flung her head back, candle light flickering around her, and let a deep satisfied moan out as Daniel held her firmly. His desire was to make her forget they were the entertainment and as she met his eyes, he smiled as he realized all she too was thinking about was this moment.

"I love you Samantha!" Daniel cried as he brought her body up closer to his, feeling himself close to the point of finishing.

She flung her arms and legs around him, panting heavily as they rose even higher on the cloud of ecstasy. Between each breath she breathed his name – "Daniel, oh, Gawd, Danny." – hands in  
his hair as he brought them to the top of both their pleasure.

* * *

Laying her down, Daniel kissed Sam once more, feeling the deep release drain all of his energy. He lay caressing her face, speaking softly as she smiled and returned the small kisses. "This was worth waiting for," Daniel whispered as he grabbed a thick blanket that was on the end of the bed and pulled it to cover them both. 

Sam smiled and turned, burrowing her face into his chest. With a peaceful smile on her lips, she drifted to sleep, her bed never to be cold again.


	11. Month 3

A/N: Sorry for the delay, I was on a nice vacation and seemed to have forgotten all my tech stuff... so here is the newest chapter. Once more, thanks to Jess for the beta - love ya!

* * *

After the "Dance of Claim" the room went silent, slowly clearing out, as the men suddenly had their own needs. Din smiled, looking on at the two who slept in the bed they had made, deep down both saddened that Doctor Jackson had made the claim, and that he himself would never know the victory of having Samantha Carter. He and his people took pride in knowing that they could have their females at any time, and often never blinked when asked to share. Din feared that Doctor Jackson was not that kind of man, and if Din wanted to have Samantha Carter, he would have to be prepared to fight.

He always fought for the things he wanted. He had conquered the tribe who had controlled the Circle of Light, sending them to their deaths in the same valley as the labor village was building his new grand home.

Turning his thoughts to the village, Din went through the house and how much had been completed. The big part of the job was done: sawing the beams that would be the structure of the house. They were digging holes to put the beams in when the first snowstorm hit, slowing and then stopping the work for the past two weeks. Holding the Feast of Winter and Dance of Claim while the laborers were not working did not slow any of the work down.

Din gave another leering look at the sleeping couple. He would tell his guards to wake them and bring them back to the village, let them rest two days as a reward for an exciting claim. Din rested his eyes on the exit, walking purposefully toward his own chambers. The traders had surpassed their initial uses; they had shown that they were willing to do anything. A small thought nagged him, but at the sight of the falling snow and his bedchamber full of light, he let it slip away.

Once more Daniel and Sam were roughly awoken, given a moment to gather the clothing they shed earlier in the evening, and walked quickly to the same covered cart they were brought in. Daniel took the blanket, basket of food, and heap of more clothing from an older woman whom Sam called 'Mara.'

"May you see happiness forever," she said as she pressed a small box to Sam's hands. "Safe journeys."

"Thank you. I will never forget you, your daughter or your daughter-in-law," Sam said, waving as the cart made its way back to the village. The windows were covered once more with heavy fabric, plunging the inside into darkness.

Daniel wrapped the blanket around Sam as she settled back next to him. "Aren't you cold?" she asked.

"Not with you heating me up," Daniel purred into her ear. He planted kisses along her jaw once more, as he wrapped his arms around her and fingered the laces on the side of her dress again.

"Daniel," Sam said, swatting his hand away as he began to untie the laces again. "Just, just wait."

"Is that a promise?"

She smiled into the kiss that Daniel had her in. "Yes. Besides, I have to thank you for making me forget where we were."

"Mmm. I don't know where you thought you were, Sammy Carter-Jackson, but I was making love to my beautiful wife, on a snowy island far, far away," Daniel once more purred.

"So you think this a honeymoon?" Sam asked.

"Gawd if it is, I never want to end," Daniel said, settling beside her. "You can make a man happy anywhere, Sam."

"Even in a bumpy moving cart that is taking us back to hard labor?"

"Even then," Daniel said, sinking into the kiss Sam gave him as he leaned back and drew her close, once more drifting to sleep.

* * *

It did not take an Archeologist and an Astrophysicist to know why the basket that held food in it was so heavy. They however had a bit more of a problem deciphering the box that Mara had given to Sam. Inside was a piece of paper, written in a strange script that Daniel figured could be the written Tynir language. While not sleeping, eating, or quietly reveling in each other's love, they talked about the MALP, home, and what they should be doing next in attaining both. 

"I can try to power up the MALP when we get back over there; the only thing I am worried about is that it is too cold. It did start snowing again," Sam said, watching the furnace fire dance.

"Did it?" Daniel asked, handing a piece of bread over to her. "I never noticed, been in most of the day."

Daniel gave her a wicked grin and Sam laughed. "MALP, dear, the MALP. Concentrate. Gee, who would have known one night of bliss and your mind leaves rational land and trudges into man land?"

"Well, if you forgot, I am a guy," Daniel said, giving her a knowing look. "Sorry. MALP. Right." Turning to face Sam on the small bed, he thoughtfully said, "Maybe that is really why the MALP stopped working. If it got too cold, the electrical units could have frost bite."

Sam shook her head. "No, been there. There has to be some real mechanical problem. MALP's are not my thing; I have to break them down and look at the parts." Sam pushed a hand through her hair, slowly getting frustrated. "Its like it's so cold, so no connection is being made. We may have to wait until spring to get it powered up."

"Well, until then we just work on it as much as we can. Maybe we can do some exploring while we make our dirt runs. We might be able to locate the Stargate," Daniel said, stroking her arms.

"We don't have GDOs. We could go 'splat,'" Sam reminded him.

"Hmm, not very appealing. Maybe a rebellion would work," Daniel sighed.

"Because we have had such good luck with those. Sorry, Daniel, but even though we have a few who are helping, it does not mean the rest would, or could. These people are so far down in life that they actually enjoy being here." Sam looked at him. "You have to admit some of the conversations we have overheard are not exactly prison break out schemes."

Daniel had to admit it was true. He held Sam as they both sank into the silence. "I love you so much, Sam," Daniel said as he gently rocked her. "I could live a lifetime here as long as you are right here."

"Me too," Sam agreed, lightly stroking his shaven beard. "However I don't want to live in fear either. And no repeat performances of last night."

"No?" Daniel asked with a wicked gleam.

"No. Only very private performances," Sam said kissing Daniel softly as she pulled the covers over them.

* * *

When their mini-retreat had ended, Sam and Daniel walked with the rest of the laborers to the valley, continuing their work. Although there was snow on the ground, the sun shone for the first time in weeks, sending the icicles and snow that clung to the branches and the equipment, to the ground in rivers of water. Sam pulled her top closer as a slight breeze drifted through the valley. Daniel glanced at her and pulled her close. 

"You all right?" he asked as she coughed.

"Ya, I'm good. Just a bit cold," Sam said as she smiled at Daniel. "I'll be ok once we start working. Just need to warm up some more."

Concerned, Daniel pressed a hand to her forehead. Instead of being cold, it was a bit warm. Frowning slightly, he said, "Sam I think you are getting sick."

"I can't. I'm just tired. Not much sleep lately," Sam said. She brushed off the snow on the bucket, and looked back up at Daniel. "Being sick is like being dead around here. I may just take a few more breaks to rest. I can't show that I am sick."

Daniel nodded. He knew what she meant. Just a few days before they had their very public wedding night, one of the men got sick. He was weak and tired, begging to be left back in the camp to try to become well. The guards looked at one another and merely nodded. Half the guards took hold of the man and dragged him to the hut where they 'entertained' the new women. Daniel said that the man was chained to a chair, left in his pain and sickness.

Both of them knew that the Tynir people were in need of medicine; that was one of the points of trade that they themselves were in the middle of negotiating when they were double crossed and kidnapped. Daniel looked at Sam, concern once more in his eyes. She doubled over, a hacking cough racking her body.

"I'm ok," Sam said, pushing off the ground and holding on to Daniel's arm. "Just a bit dizzy now."

"Maybe we should rest instead of trying to work on the MALP," Daniel suggested.

"No, the MALP needs to be worked on almost more then ever. If I am sick –"

"You are, Sam."

"Fine. Since I am sick, it is imperative to get back to the SGC," Sam said, holding Daniel's arm again. "You still have that bruise and I am worried something could be seriously wrong and you are just ignoring the pain."

"I would never do that," Daniel said.

"Oh right. Dr. Lam is gentle. Besides, I thought you and Doc Fraiser had something going on for a while there," Sam said, picking her way toward the MALP.

"No it was more like Doc Fraiser's nurses had something going on for me. They were worse than the crowd the other night," Daniel smiled as he remembered. "Besides, they were kinda cute nurses in the bunch."

Sam hit him with a snowball, making a face at him as he shrugged and dodged another snowball.

"Hey watch out missy. You don't want me sick too," Daniel said as he took Sam into his arms once more. "Then who would be working on the MALP?"

"I don't know, Bis has been getting pretty good," Sam commented. "He could be fixing the thing, finding the Gate and getting help, as we lay dying in chains."

"Ah, yes, because that is appealing."

"Hey we would be together."

"I don't really think of that being a real high ranking 'quality time' outlet," Daniel said, uncovering the MALP. "Besides, I'm supposed to protect you. I'm your husband now."

"You always take responsibility, Danny. I appreciate it always, even if I never say it." Sam kissed him lightly.

"Why don't you sit down and tell me what to do, I don't want you to be using too much energy. You need to concentrate on getting well," Daniel said, smoothing her hair that was gently moving into her face. "I cannot live without you now."

* * *

The weather for the next few weeks neither helped Sam on her slow path to recovering, nor their repairing the MALP. The sudden cold on some days were followed by warm days where the snow melted, pooling in the low areas. Seth and Bis were moved to another section of the work area, leaving Sam and Daniel to work on the MALP alone. 

Sam sat shivering as the sun hit her back, sending a moment of warmth through her. Daniel looked up after asking a question and moved over to where she sat, wrapping his coat around her. She waved it off weakly, protesting that he would get sick without it.

"Sam, stop arguing." Daniel took his canister of water and handed it to her. "You have to stop pushing yourself. The weather is slowly changing, I'm sure spring is coming close."

"Getting the MALP repaired is still only half the problem. There is still the question of where the Gate is," Sam said, sinking deeper into his arms.

"Getting the MALP powered up will be a big accomplishment, just concentrate on one thing at a time," Daniel said, smoothing her tears away. He looked back at the MALP and took in its half repaired state. "It might not look like much, but I think the new wire job and such are paying off. Come here for a moment, I think I found something in the switches."

Sam got up, hugging the coat around her, and followed Daniel. She smiled as she saw the excitement of what he found shining on his face. That had always captured her heart more than anything; his love for discovery and learning was infectious.

"You said that the power supply could have been frozen, so I started to think about that. You know how winters in Colorado always seem to make starting your car really hard to do?" Daniel asked, crouching by the open panel. "What do you have to do?"

"Well, you have to make sure the engine is warmed. Sometimes the antifreeze does not do it alone. I use a heat lamp bulb, placed under the hood," Sam replied, kneeling beside him.

"My car has a plug connected to the battery, helping it to pull more amps. Granted with a car there is also oil and all that involved too, but overall, if we isolate the battery, the power source…"

"So really we are going to have to wait until the end of all these dropping temperatures," Sam said, catching the vain. "So really it is just bringing us back to the obvious solution. I hate circles."

Daniel looked at her and laughed. He laughed as he cupped her face in his hands. "A circle will bring us home. And a circle brought you to me a very long time ago. Personally I love circles."

Sam could not help but laugh along with him. Placing her arms around his neck she kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I'm so glad I have you. I think I would have slipped away a long time ago."

"No, Sammy, you would not have. You may have tried to sit down and argued them logically to let you go back to Earth. You are too strong to lay down and die," Daniel said softly. "You are much too strong for that."

Sam smiled softly, stroking his cheek as another cough racked her body. "At least they are getting a bit better," Sam said weakly.

"A small favor. Come on, we have to get back before they look for us," Daniel said, planting a kiss into Sam's hair, lifting her up, and starting down the small path they had made.


	12. Win, Lose, or Bleed

Daniel and Sam were exiting their hut, making their way to the dining hut – turkey and mashed potato night – when Daniel suddenly pulled up short, Sam placing a hand on his arm as she sneezed.

"What are you doing here?" Daniel asked, venom dripping from each word. The tone made Sam look up suddenly.

"I am here to have what I want," the man replied, coolly eyeing Daniel and Sam. Din flashed another grin at Sam and added, "She has been a bit spoiled, but now I know what to look forward to."

Din this time anticipated Daniel's punch and blocked it. He returned a punch to Daniel, barely missing Daniel's nose in the process. Sam clenched her jaw and gave Din a foot squarely in his stomach as she turned and ran, Daniel telling her to "run to the trees!"

Sam hated to leave Daniel, but knew the look in Din's eyes; there was malicious fire in them. Sam ran to back of the hut, circling the small patch of trees that lay behind it. Stopping, catching her breath, Sam turned, peering through the bare limbs to where Daniel and Din were now circling each other. Small gleams of light came from where they were, Sam guessing Din had given Daniel the same honor of having a knife to his sword.

Carefully looking around her, Sam crept back to where she could peer around the edge of the hut. A small crowd of onlookers peered from the windows and some of the nearby doorways. Their faces reflected fear and fascination, determination and cowardice. Sam gripped the side of the hut, fearfully creeping one step closer and straining to hear anything that came from the fighting.

"You will have to kill me first before I let you touch my wife," Daniel hissed.

"It will be my pleasure. Just as it will be my pleasure to hear her scream my name," Din spat, jabbing his sword toward Daniel.

"You will have to do more than that, old man," Daniel responded.

"Old man? I have seen much in my days. Your wife, whom you place misguided protection in, will be a nice addition to the broken woman who tried to be defiant toward me and my men," Din retorted,

Sam summoned every ounce of courage she had as she ducked back into the shadows, giving into a round of coughs. She sat down, head in her hands, trying to pull all her muscles together to make another attempt to run. She needed to get to the MALP. She needed to get Daniel and her, plus as many people who were willing to leave, back to Earth. Pushing away from the wall, Sam plunged into the woods, a crack and scream following her as she weaved back to the valley.

* * *

Daniel went down. Lifting his head he saw a few faces reflecting the same fear that was slowly growing inside him; he would not be able to defeat Din. He felt a searing heat jab into his lower back and he could do nothing by scream out in anguish. He had been tortured before – he was not afraid of it now – but somehow knowing Sam – his wife, best friend, and partner in everything – was running in the woods unaided made all the difference. 

He rolled as the second crack came close to his head. The training with Jack, Mitchell, Teal'c and even Sam drilled into him came to the front as he swung around and grabbed Din's leg, sending him falling on his back. Scrambling away, Daniel got up, tenderly feeling his back, drawing his hand back with drops of blood sprinkled on it. Din was staggering up as Daniel hit him in the face, sending the man back to the ground, spitting blood out.

"I was not disappointed; you too are a fighter. You would have broken in many women in your time; that I am sure. Your wife will know the full fury that you provoked when she is within my arms," Din said, spitting once more. He staggered up, determination burning in his eyes as he looked Daniel up and down. "You are a weak race to be ruled by your love for your women. I will conquer your one woman, and then I will conquer the rest of your people."

Din swung his sword over his head, tilting it to plunge Daniel in the chest, while Daniel whirled around and ducked, sweeping Din off his feet once more. Confidence surged into Daniel as he watched Din struggle to get off the ground. As Din rolled to his knees, Daniel, a few feet away, well out of any reach of his sword and felt the weight of the onlookers' eyes. Taking off the top layer, Daniel flung it aside.

"For months I have been here, having to protect my wife and as many as I could from the power, lust and depraved mind of Din and the men like him," Daniel said as he glanced around, assessing where the guards were coming from the shadows. "I cannot protect all women's honor here, so I fight for my wife's. If any of you have the courage to go against your leader's treatment of your wives, daughters, and sisters, come and help me. Show that there are those who honor women and their place in our lives."

Daniel's heart dropped as he finished and saw Din race toward him, sword drawn and ready to rail it through him.

* * *

Sam reached the MALP, struggling thought her tears, cold hands, and sickness that clouded her mind, to open the side container. Stilling, Sam tried to figure out what she was doing; what she could be doing. The battery would still take a bit to start up; the weather had not been warm but for two good days. Slipping to her knees, Sam clutched the side, feeling suddenly very alone and scared.

"Think, think," Sam chanted, Pooh-style as she descended into hiccups. "You have been in situations like this… come on Colonel. Think."

She berated herself as she squeezed her eyes shut. Breathing deeply she looked up to the sky, and tried to remember what Seth had told her once about their sky. She was an astrophysicist after all; stars and space were her thing.

"Hang on Danny, I'll bring us some help." Grabbing the communication device, and wires jumbled up in a ball, Sam took off in the direction that was opposite to where the MALP faced. Assuming the MALP never turned around, and if Seth were correct that the Gate was north of the initial village SG-1 had been in, Sam would run into the Gate sooner than later. "Hang on Danny."


	13. Plan A dot B

Sam stopped and listened. She had not heard any sounds, just the occasional chirp of a bird far away. She was confident that no one was following, but even she knew not to trust that confidence. As Daniel had said, they had been in far too many places that looked safe, only to be stuck without a plan B.

Daniel. She thought about him and closed her eyes. Sitting beside a tree, in a patch of dead leaves and grass, she closed her eyes. She mentally put every picture of him into her mind, concentrating on his eyes, the bright blue eyes, and his hands, long delicate fingers. He could say so much, so little, with his eyes. A look conveyed all the information she needed, all the love she knew was there. His hands traced the intricate carvings of artifacts and grazed lightly over her, making her skin dance under his touch.

Snapping her eyes open, Sam stood and looked around. There were trees, small patches of snow, and the hilly terrain that all helping to build her strength and determination that she was going in the direction. Daniel had to be all right, she had to find the Gate, and the equipment she brought, the knowledge of the DHD system, had to work.

It just had to.

* * *

She came over a hill and almost fainted. She stood still for a moment before hitting the deck, military taking full control. She was on a hostile planet, her teammate – her husband – was considered to be a POW, she could not afford to stand and look at the circular object of her dreams. It was still a ways off; about two hills were between her and the Gate.

"Oh Daniel I found it!" Sam whispered. She saw the line of pillars that they walked through when they first arrived, the ones Daniel had been studying. She let a small smile grace her lips as the thought came back. "Hold on my love."

She surveyed the best she could and scrambled down the hill, wishing for the trees to be growing here. She ducked by a stump as she crested the first hill, the Gate a bit closer. From this hill she could see the town to her right and the Gate on her left. Activity around the pillars made Sam still once more. They were men; that much Sam could make out. Whose men they were she could not tell.

Sam crept forward, looking around for the nearest patch of trees she could duck into. There was a fairly large patch to her right, farther north of the Gate. Taking her electronics, breathing in a deep breath, she went down the hill slightly and ran for the tree line, hoping the men would be gone by the time she came around closer to the Gate.

* * *

It was dark, cold, musty, and had an ominous feeling about it. The chains were tight and he could feel the blood slowly trickling down his face. Part of him was glad he could not feel any of the other injuries; part of him wished he could. His eyes were shut – why open them in the darkness that suppressed even his very soul? – and small tears slid down his bearded face.

His mind replayed the last scene. Din had had his sword ready to drill into him, yet he stood strangely motionless. He could not move even if he wanted to, only moving at the force of his body being thrown to the ground. But it was not a sword that had knocked him down; it had been one of the workers. He had looked up to see Din wear a surprised look as another man railed a dagger into his back. As he fell away, Daniel had seen Bis smiling triumphantly, moments before he too was murdered. Guards had grabbed the men, dragging them away to an underground prison, hanging them up and beating them.

Tears dripped off his chin as Daniel fell asleep, only wishing that Sam had gone and found her way to the Gate. His heart ached at the thought of her coming back and trying to find him when she got to the Gate. Sam was too good of a friend, too much his lover, and much too drilled in as a soldier, not to come back for him. He only hoped he would be there when she came.

* * *

The men milled around, but there were less of them, making Sam confident she could make a plan. She calculated into the plan for more men, in case back ups and reinforcements came along later. They were closer to her now, but still far enough for her to not be able to make out the tunics. Sam looked up to the Gate. Like most Gates, it was on a platform, a short platform with only three steps, but tall enough Sam figured she might be able to lie flat on the ground and remain unseen.

Crawling toward the base, after seeing what Sam could only equate to 'the changing of the guard,' she put her plan into motion. Her main objective was to get to the DHD, about 100 feet and at about 5o'clock from the Gate. Flattening herself against the base, she strained to hear any commotion. Edging to the side, she peered around, seeing the DHD and a few men talking. She sat back and closed her eyes, straining to hear any snippet she could.

"… But that is what I heard the other night," Guard number one said.

"Oh they are just a bunch of misguided, disloyal members of the tribe. It's a wonder nothing has happened sooner," Guard number 2 said. "But you are sure it was Din?"

"Positive. Keen just got back from town, let's ask him," Guard number one said. Their conversation died a bit as they moved away.

Sam smiled as she figured they had to be talking about the commotion that had happened two days ago. She fingered the communication device; she briefly wondered once more what happened once she left. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard loud shouting. There was movement, and Sam edged once more to look. The Guards were now greeting another man, panting and out of breath. He said something to the group, who all exchanged glances. One of the guards looked worried.

"Dead?" he asked. "This is worse than thought."

"Din has been our leader for many years, he has fought many battles. How can he be dead?"

Joy welled up in Sam. Din was dead, and she wondered if Daniel had his hand in it. He did not like killing people, but the fire and determination that was in his eyes the last time she saw him, made her certain he would set that aside and fight. Unto death if need be.

"This is not good… not good at all," the third Guard said.

The messenger, gaining back his breath, nodded. "There are rumors that Lord Hindil is now looking to secure his place in the council. He has already begun selecting his advisors, it is said."

Sam tried to remember who the man was. Hindil was one of the men who had not so patiently listened to her and Daniel memorize their lines. He had a scowl, even when they were riding, and then double crossed Sam and Daniel, striping them and making it appear as if they were dead. She shook her head; things seemed to be getting worse. A loud crack from the far end of the pillars directed Sam and the rest of the Guard's attention to the path and small patch of trees. The men hurried to see what happened, leaving the path from the Gate platform and the DHD clear. Sam was up and running as quickly and quietly as she could.

Reaching the control, she pulled the lower panel off, looking at the insides. She did not need to disassemble the DHD since she did not need to power up the unit. Glancing to where the Guards had fled, she quickly placed the clamps on the wires, gently pushing them around so she could get the correct connection. She looked back at the path, saw no activity, and hastily dialed Earth. It was the best feeling ever as she saw the Gate turning, locking in the glyphs. Running to a small dense bush, Sam turned the communication device on, adjusting the controls and keeping an eye on the Gate.

As soon as it burst into the established Gate, she grinned and took hold of the microphone.


	14. Beyond the Grave

"Incoming wormhole, sir!" Walter said. Turning to Landry he added, "No IDC."

"Keep the Iris up. Open all channels. We still have four SG teams, maybe one of them is bunkered down somewhere," the General said. Before he could ask for identification, the voice he heard sent chills down his spine.

"Stargate Command, this is Colonel Samantha Carter, USAF 43-412-6775-320," it started. Coughing and a clearing of the throat were heard, and then it proceeded. "I am on Planet MPX-1125, stranded with Dr. Daniel Jackson. We have been kidnapped, held hostage, and are in need of medical assistance. We have been kept in a camp about a two days journey on foot, a couple of hours by cart. Daniel is hurt I fear," her voice cracked a bit. "I escaped as he was defending me. Please come as quickly as you can. There are roughly 4 to 10 men guarding the gate. Night will be falling in …" she paused. "Night is coming in one hour ... they are coming back. Carter Out."

The wormhole, transmission and screens went dead.

"Sir, can we –"

"Gear up," Landry said before Colonel Mitchell could make his request. "Let's bring our people home, Colonel."


	15. Beyond the Dead

Daniel gasped, a light hitting his eyes. No words were spoken as a hand undid his binds and Daniel none-too-gracefully sank to the ground. Rough hands lifted him and dragged him out of the room. Daniel was too tired and too weak to protest or catch himself as he was thrown to the ground once more. 

"Get up," a voice growled. Daniel had become strangely accustomed to being growled at. The men of Tynir, or at least a good portion of men, seemed to naturally talk that way.

Daniel sat back, resting on his legs and keeping his arms out as he felt himself fall back to his left. He caught himself and straightened, squinting his eyes as a stick roughly made contact with his side. It was a dark room, with candles it became a bit brighter, much too bright from what Daniel was used to. He looked to his side and saw Seth with his head down, also trying to adjust to the sudden light. He could see other shapes, other men being prodded to sit up.

One figure was staring back at him. He blinked and looked away. _No, no, no,_ he silently said. On the other side of the room, clad in a silver dress, hair hanging in a mess around her was the pair of piercing blue eyes he had fallen in love with. Sam sat, blinking the tears out of her eyes.

Daniel's throat too dry, his body too weak, he simply looked back at her. He threw her questions – Why was she here? How far did she get before coming back? What had they done to her when they got her back? His eyes once more lit up with the rage and questions.

Sam sat stoically watching as each man was dragged out of their black cages and thrown to the ground. She returned her gaze to Daniel, comforted in the way his eyes were asking more questions than he could ever express. She wanted to fly over there, take him in her arms and tell him she had found it. She had made it. She was okay.

"I am Lord Hindil, the representative of all people of Tynir," Hindil boomed, striding across the room. "You have proven yourselves very disloyal to the people, and therefore will suffer the same fate as those we conquered. You will do battle in a battle you cannot win."

Sam glanced around at each of the men. None were in any shape to fight; she estimated she was the least dehydrated, most able-bodied person among them. She could not fight for everyone, and by the way Hindil said it, each would have to fight on his or her own. _Or not fight_, Sam thought, _they are too weak to put up much of a fight. I hope Landry heard my plea and sent all the crew out. That's the only way we are getting home._

Sam caught Daniel's eye and gave a small smile. She prayed his face was the last thing she saw if it came down to it.

* * *

Daniel was more or less propped up by Sam. He gingerly wrapped his arm around her, glad for her support. Sam looked away as another man was beheaded, turning slightly into Daniel. Screams of agony and cries of victory melded together.

"Help should be on the way," Sam whispered again as she looked into Daniel's eyes. They held a small moment of strength before one of the Guards came and grabbed one of the men beside them. "They will find us."

Daniel nodded and rested, placing his forehead on hers. Sam went back to watching the unfair fight, gleaning anything she could about the way the men fought. Even a glimpse of weakness, unsure footing or overconfidence could be used against them, should Sam be picked before their rescue. Sam watched as the Guard threw the man down, really just pushed him slightly, and gloated. She filed that away, while the man gloated, she could be gutting him.

The final blow came, making Sam wince once more. Daniel's grip around her waist tightened as he folded her into his side. She closed her eyes as the shouts of victory filled the air; there were less people now to be in agony.

"You, woman, are next," the Guard said, a rueful smile on his lips. "I will enjoy having you." He tugged her out of Daniel's grasp, after they shared a quick kiss, and pushed Sam into the make shift ring. "Your weapon," he said, throwing a small dagger to her feet.

Sam scooped it up, keeping her eyes on him at all times. The last thing she needed was to be kicked in the head and be killed before she had a chance to seriously wound him. He nodded appreciatively as he noticed her careful movements.

"You have been trained. It will make me work harder, but it will be sweeter," he said, a smile once more gracing his lips.

"I would not count on it, buddy. You have never done hand to hand with a level three, have you?" Sam said, returning the smile. He looked momentarily confused, and Sam lashed out, nicking his arm slightly. "Don't think I can't take you down."

They circled, the Guard lunging at her, trying to get small jabs in. The style reminded Sam of a bad pirate fight except she had a dagger and he had a sword. She really wanted to talk about evenly matched opponents, but thought better of it; her kill would be that much more victorious. He swung it in the air, over his head, Sam darting in and drawing blood from his side. His eyes burned with fury now, and Sam switched her fighting stance, the blade facing down, her left hand balled into a fist.

He did a fancy, but stupid move, Sam came around and sliced at him, drawing more blood. He whirled around, swinging his blade near her abdomen. Sam did not get full out of the way, tearing her jacket. She ducked; glad she was shorter, slimmer and faster than the man. Assessing the battle strategy, she rolled to the ground, knowing the man would think he could plunge his sword into her. She was right and soon she was seeing the tip of a sword coming close to her. She rolled to the side and in one smooth, trained motion she stepped back and used the man's striding motion to back the dagger just below his ribcage. Stepping forward and removing the dagger, Sam spun around and landed a perfect kick to the side of his neck, breaking it.

Looking down at the dead guard, Sam smiled. His weakness was her victory. Looking around she saw the men wearing shocked expressions. Surveying them, she noticed all were standing still, not wanting to be the first to step out and end up like their companion at her feet. Turning, she noticed movement, and a lone man came rushing out. Before he reached her, he staged back, his chest blooming with blood. Whipping around, knowing that she should not be turning her back on her enemy, but also not sure if it was her enemy who was shooting, she stared.

There on a hill stood eight BDU clad men and women, armed with P-90s, Zats and two staff weapons. Instead of running toward them, she sank to the ground, letting the world drown away as she saw Daniel run as best as he could, falling before her and hugging her fiercely.

"My brave, brave wife. You did it, Sammy. You did it," Daniel said, also crying as he rocked Sam. He vaguely heard more shots, seeing more men coming toward them and falling, but only concentrated on the most important thing in his arms: his wife, safe and relatively unharmed. "I love you with all my heart, my brave Sammy."


	16. The Other Side

Cam waited, tapping his foot against the concrete wall, arms folded. He hummed a few lines to some obscure song and went back to waiting, foot tapping, arms crossed, and eyes on the floor. He heard people walking back and forth, felt them look at him. _They must be wondering why I look like I lost my best friend_, Cam thought vaguely. 

Well he had. Sort of.

His 2IC and resident doctor of Archaeology had been presumed dead for the past three, almost four, months. It was enough time for any commander to become a bit crazy and wonder when it was okay to start digging through the pile of personnel folders. Cam stared at the ceiling; he had in fact started to interview potential people to be posted on SG-1 as Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson's replacements. He wondered how long he would have to re-contact them before they heard.

A door swung open, rubber gloves snapped and Cam merely closed his eyes.

"I know you are awake, Colonel Mitchell," Dr. Lam's voice said softly as she leaned against the wall with her shoulder. "I also know you never went to your quarters, possibly never slept…"

Cam held up a hand and popped an eye open. "Can the berating wait? How's my team?"

Carolyn sighed. "They are okay. Both physical and mental trauma it looks like. Dr. Jackson was trying to get up and kept insisting that he return to the planet to bring the people back. Colonel Carter is quiet, not really responding to the commotion of the infirmary."

"Well, I'm no doctor, but I can't say I'm surprised. Jackson is one hell of a passionate man, and Carter has been through a lot too. I don't hear anything now, did you sedated Jackson?"

"Yes, he has some bad lacerations and hairline fractures on his ribs. The way that man moves I am surprised he has not broken them," Carolyn sighed again and signed a quick note as one of the assistants passed by. "They are both dehydrated too, but Jackson is on an IV drip for a while. I thought I saw Colonel Carter moving over to his bed. With all the things they have been through, I think it may help if they are finding comfort in one another."

Cam led Carolyn down the hall. "What kind of comfort?"

"I am not going to discuss that with you. I have to talk to them first."

"I thought you did," Cam said, swiping his badge, waiting for the elevator to glide to their floor.

"They are a bit too fresh to the whole thing. Time is what they need. It's possible they were tortured and saw horrible things. We need to give them time."

* * *

Sam stroked Daniel's ruffled hair, still long and shaggy. She propped herself up on one elbow and looked down at him in the dim light of the overhead lamp, imagining him in his dirty cream colored wraparound and baggy pants. Leaning down she kissed his forehead and sank wearily down beside him, cradling him in her arms.

Dr. Lam had bandaged Daniel, making him wince as she carefully prodding the black and pale yellow spots on his chest and back. Sam herself had been tended to by a nurse who avoided eye contact and seemed rather cold but seemed to have a gentle touch when it came to tending to her own scrapes, bruises and several deep cuts. They were then handed a pair of blue scrubs, 'SGC' stamped on the pockets of the top and pants, and escorted to a private room right off the main infirmary.

Sam planted another feather kiss on Daniel's cheek, feeling herself drift away to join him in sleep like they had done so many nights.

* * *

It had been Daniel who had looked up as the familiar deep voice gently asked, "DanielJackson?" He had lifted his teary blue eyes to meet the deep brown eyes that were flooding with relief.

"Teal'c," he had said, looking back down at the golden head of Sam. "Sammy, look who is here," he had whispered.

Sam had turned, peering and wiping tears away, at the black man who crouched in front of them. A smile burst through as she turned and flung her arms around Teal'c. Teal'c smiled, and placed an arm gently around her in return. They got up and with Teal'c directing, moved outside the fenced area, past the beheaded bodies and toward the small group of workers who still stood clinging to one another.

Sam and Daniel walked slowly toward the fatigued clad men only to be guided toward one of the ATVs that stood silently by. A smiling Cameron Mitchell hopped on and turned the beast on. "Welcome back to the other side!"

They smiled and nodded, clinging to one another as the vehicle launched its way down the small hill and down the dirt road. Daniel nuzzled close to Sam's ear and once more kissed her lightly as he told her they were almost home.

* * *

"Ha! I told you they are never dead!" General Jack O'Neill's voice boomed as he came up the stairs and burst into the open room where Sam and Daniel, Cam, Teal'c and a bemused Vala stood. "You know you had another memorial? It was lovely. I said a few nice words. We all cried."

He was clapping them both on the back, and then as a second thought, pulled them each into a bear hug. "You both owe a lot of people some words; there was a bet on whether or not you were really dead, and once we had the service, well, you know how it is."

"It's nice to know the SGC has its pool open for anything," Daniel said solemnly. "I hope there was some good food at the service."

"Oh the best, Danny-boy. I mean, common, you guys 'dead' for the what, the fourth time? That is no excuse not to have great food," Jack went on.

"Glad to hear it, Sir," Sam nodded.

"Can we sit for a few moments?" General Hank Landry asked as he entered to room. "General, nice to see you made it. You hopped a red-eye to get here I'm guessing."

"What and miss seeing the two undead people come back, not dead?" Jack said awkwardly. Spreading his hands he replied, "General, please."

"I don't blame you. Welcome back Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson. As you can see we all are very glad to have you back.

"Now as standard procedure, you will not be let off base for the next few weeks, and we will make sure you both are adjusting to being back to the SGC alright. If there are any special requests – besides going back to the planet – just let me know. Being in your positions for nearly four months deserves some latitude," Landry said, smiling. "Now, on with the briefing. Just take your time and start from the beginning as much as you can."

Sam and Daniel shared a brief glance. Daniel looked down to his hands, devoid of the ring he and Sam shared. They had agreed that it was best to keep them hidden as they worked the fields, safe guarding them from the elements. Sam covered his hands, which had begun to shake slightly, with her own and, giving them a squeeze, turned toward the group, beginning their story of when they first set off for the "other tribe" to "negotiate with them" and Din's double crossing.

* * *

Daniel refilled the drinking glass again and handed it to Sam, never stopping for a moment to refill his own glass or telling the curious onlookers about how they had learned to heat the small hut they shared.

Cam looked between them and gave a small smile. He could imagine how he would have learned to heat up a small hut himself with a certain doctor. The smile quickly fell away as his eyes darted toward her father – one General Landry. Cam went back to watching how naturally Carter and Jackson were communication and how effortlessly they shared the briefing. Glancing down at his watch he held a gasp – they had been talking for three hours straight. He felt the chair beside his move and looked up to see General O'Neill slump a bit in his chair, hands stretched out and silently making circles.

A pause in Daniel's monologue gave Cam enough time to jump in. "Sir, I think Dr. Jackson and Colonel Carter have been talking for long enough for this session. It's close to lunch time, perhaps we should break?"

Landry pulled his eyes away and nodded. "I think that's a fine idea. We'll meet back here at 1500. Colonel Mitchell, you still owe me a report on the previous mission before this one. You have until 1400 to get it on my desk. Dismissed."

Cam nodded and joined Carter who snapped up, and General O'Neill beside him, stood as Landry went back to his office. Daniel got up, relief in his eyes as he looked at Sam, Vala already entreating Teal'c to have "some food those people seem to think is food", while Cam turned to cast an eye over to the window that over looked the Stargate.

* * *

"I bet you guys have not had a decent meal in awhile," Jack said as he went over to Sam and Daniel. "I guess you will have to endure some of the SGC's special cooking for a bit."

He gave a chuckle as both Sam and Daniel, Cam trotting after them, followed their former leader toward the elevator. Jack swiped his badge and turned back to the couple. "I suppose the food here is better then anything they were serving. Frightening thought as it is, I am sure the food here is rather appealing."

"I'm sure it is," Daniel said softly. "Personally I can't wait for real mashed potatoes with white sauce."

"Some roast beef with corned hash," Sam added. "With salt."

"And pepper."

"I like it with Tabasco sauce personally," Cam chimed. All three of them grinned as Jack made a face, showing what he thought of the whole menu.

"Well, like I said, anything on the menu is better then what you had," Jack said, nodding. "Let's hope it's not toxic. I can't believe we ate that stuff for years."

"Must be nice living in the ivory tower, sir," Sam said, coolly.

"Not an ivory tower, Colonel. It's Washington," Jack said crisply. He eyed her as she walked ahead and gave a raised eyebrow at Cam, silently asking, "What's her problem?"

Lunch was neither mashed potatoes, nor roasted beef, but the two ate the hot dogs in slightly doughy bread as if it was the crème de le crème. Cam and Jack, amused for their own reasons, watched as Daniel and Sam savored every bite. The mustard was passed, ketchup and salt, pepper and butter followed. Finally, wiping off the crumbs, and eating them too, they sat back, speaking some foreign language. Jack looked at the two and smiled as he cleared the trays and got up. Moving to the small mugs stacked next to the pots of coffee, he looked at the young woman behind the counter.

"Um, are there any bigger mugs? Maybe some specialty coffee? I have two very caffeine deprived teammates who could use their usual stash," Jack asked, hooking a finger behind him. "Big mugs. Huge."

The woman smiled and handed over two mugs that dwarfed the regular issued mugs. He carefully picked his way back to the table that Sam, Daniel and Cam were still at, interrupting a conversation.

"I have to get back to Washington, but wanted to give you the best present of all," Jack said as he set the bugs down. Beaming he straightened. "Coffee."

The two scientists looked at him, the mugs and at each other. "Thank you sir," Sam said, wrapping her hands around the mug. Breathing in the steam she closed her eyes.

Jack smiled as well; it was great to have her – and Daniel – back. His eyes drifted to her long fingers and he noticed, with a hint of surprise, a small, slightly un-tanned portion on her ring finger. "Well, I must go."

Daniel wiggled his fingers as Jack left, glancing over to his wife – just Sam now – as she took in the heavenly sent that had long ago passed from their memory.

"I should be getting that report done now myself," Cam said, scrapping the chair back. "It's great to see you two back. Get some rest, don't let Caro- Dr. Lam poke you too much." He flashed a smile at them and left.

"It is nice to be back," Daniel said softly.

"Yes it is. But there are still a few unanswered questions before everything goes back to 'normal,'" Sam answered. "I don't think there is a normal anymore."

Daniel nodded and inhaled his own coffee, letting the liquid wash his fears away.


	17. Small Worlds

For the next four days Sam and Daniel felt they were back on Tynir; shuffled from one place to another, asked countless questions, bandaged and reexamined half a dozen times, and all on the whims of Landry, Dr. Lam, and even sometimes Cam. 

A soft knock on the door pulled Sam out of the silent reverie she had fallen into. Turning, placing the book on the desk of the VIP room she was in, she crossed the floor and opened the door.

"Danny!" Sam said, a smile springing to her lips. She slipped her arms around him and they stood for a moment hugging in the doorway. "Oh, come in. I was given a few books to pass the first day we have to ourselves. But you are much better than any book."

Daniel swept a hand through her hair, now cut to the "acceptable military length". He returned the smile and closed the door. "I'm glad." He leaned down and gave her a deep kiss, one of the first since they had come back to Earth on their whirlwind adventure to get back "home." "I've missed you, my Sammy," Daniel mumbled as he once more crushed their lips together and his still rough hands slipped under the issued black t-shirt they now wore.

They were careful to avoid any sore and still healing areas – both knowing where they were by heart – as they moved across the floor and into the small bathroom. Stepping out of her pants, Sam turned the water on and felt the water heat up. She pulled Daniel into the shower, yelping as the colder water hit her back, and quickly adjusted the temperature.

"Let's make the water boil, my dear," Daniel said as he once more dipped down and trailed kisses against her neck, closing his eyes as she exhaled and dragged her fingers up his back and into his much shorter hair.

* * *

Daniel unconsciously intertwined his fingers around the thread that was hanging loose off his SGC issued blue jacket and tugged. It snapped and he went back to reading the same line for the forth time. 

"Daniel!" a voice said in a sort of celebration of its own.

He looked up and saw a smiling Vala, her hair in a ponytail and jacket left open and loose. "Hi."

"So how was your little trip?" she asked.

"I would not call it a little trip, Vala. It was more like a long, torturous, hell bent, all out…"

"Right, right… I had to sit there for the past four days and listen to it all too," Vala said in dismissal. "So anything really interesting go on? Anything to go back for?"

Daniel sighed and felt the all too familiar pressure come back behind his eyes. "Besides the people who helped Sam and I survive? I kind of miss my pillow actually," he said dryly. "I miss the open air a lot more than I used to."

"Oh well, I heard that Cam was trying to get you two to the topside, or maybe it was after the excursion back to the planet. Does it really matter what order it is all in?" Vala asked. She waved a hand about and continued, Daniel rubbing a hand into his eyes. He glanced up and saw Sam walk swiftly into the doorway and pause.

Their eyes met, sending the silent message of "help me!" and "oh boy, you do need help." Sam smiled and leaned against the doorjamb, thumbing the folder that was hanging between her hands. She looked at Vala, once more perched beside Daniel on the end of his desk, and looked back at her husband. Compassion flooded her eyes as a small smile danced upon her lips. Daniel silently slid his chair back, giving glances toward Vala who was now playing with several expensive pieces of art and animatedly talking – to herself now. He glided between the stacks of books his researchers had piled for him to read, and threw Vala one last glance.

"Lunch?" he asked leaning down to whisper into Sam's ear.

Leaning dangerously close to him she cut her eyes sideways to meet his. She dropped the folder on a nearby table and stole a quick kiss. "Please."

Together, hand in hand, they stole out of Daniel's office, leaving Vala on the desk, talking into the air.

* * *

Cam and Carolyn were sitting in the back corner, out of direct sight of the commissary doors. Carolyn was finishing a sentence, puncturing it with her fork. "So then I came back to the house to find the place dark. Paid the electric bill my ass." 

"Do Colonel Carter and Jackson seem… different to you?" Cam said, nodding at her and then indicating the couple as they walked down the desolate food line.

"Besides they seem to be able to sustain the lunch menu without tossing their cookies? They were held in captivity for almost four months. I would think they are changed. How much and if they can ever be considered 'normal' are other issues," Carolyn said. "They are lucky to have gone through something together."

Cam nodded thoughtfully, eyes still on his teammates. "But there is something else. I know they were close before, and maybe it's because they were together through the ordeal, but they seem to be even closer."

"They have been through a lot. I know there is a lot they have not told anyone," Carolyn said softly.

Cam snapped his eyes over to hers. "You know something?"

"Cam. I am a doctor, moreover I am a woman. I know that there were things that … happened. I read the reports; those women were raped by the captors," she said, letting the conclusion hang in the air.

"Oh," Cam said slowly. "Jackson would never stand for that."

"Maybe there was no choice," she said softly. They caught each other's eyes and let the questions and speculations hang in the air. Carolyn turned her eyes back to the couple that was sitting at the far end, holding each other's attention as they talked. "Whatever happened, I'm sure you will learn more on Tynir."

"Now I am afraid to find out all the stuff that happened on Tynir," Cam responded, letting his fork drop on to the tray and pushing back.

* * *

"It still looks the same," Vala said as she bounded out of the Stargate once more. Sam and Daniel silently looked around. Cam and Teal'c held their weapons up, ready to shoot anything that moved, twitched, or looked at them the wrong way. 

"Where to?" Cam asked. Daniel held a hand up, finger pointing to the end of the row of stones. "Off that way."

They moved as a well functioning team down the lane of stones, trees and then through the familiar houses. A shiver went down Sam's back and Daniel hugging her close as they neared the main square. It was eerily quiet, only a few faces peering at them from the crowds that walked by the armed five some.

"Greetings!" Cam started. "I came back to inquire – no really to beat the snot out of – Hindil. Any of you kind people – those don't want to die – know where we can reach him?" Cam narrowed his eyes at anyone who dared to look in their direction. "No? Okay. Well I have a map here, so if he comes back just tell him to meet us wherever that arena was. Seemed like a nice place to … question him."

Sam looked at Daniel who was surveying the homes. "You think they may know who we are?"

"Maybe. But most of these people are women; the crowd was …" Daniel paused and blushed. "It's worth a try." Stepping up to the platform Cam had just stepped down from, Daniel reassured Cam he knew what he was doing. Turning to the small stream of people coming into the square, he cleared his throat and began in Tynirese.

"Brave people of Tynir, I am Dan-iel, one of the traders who came through the Circle of Light. My wife and I were selected to perform the 'Dance of Claim' and I slew the oppressor Din." This last statement caused a few of the men to turn toward Daniel. Satisfied that he had more of their attention, Daniel went on. "My wife and I were held against our will to do Din's, and those who were in power's, bidding. When I slew Din, and my wife went back to the Circle, we became victorious. Now Hindil has claimed the government as his own, oppressing more of you I believe. The time to fight back is now! Help us, please, help yourselves!"

"What if we help?" one of the men asked, spreading his arms. "What does it get us? There will be nothing to stop you from claiming us as your own! Nothing to stop the tribes over the mountains from plundering us!"

Sam sighed and got up on the platform as well. Giving Daniel a small smile, she too faced the crowd. "Brave people of Tynir, what my husband speaks is true. You have ruled your women in fear and as property; these do not honor a nation of people who are great as yourselves. Just as you lord over your woman, so Hindil is lording over you. Tell us where he hides; we will make sure no harm comes to you anymore."

Several men now were talking softly with one another. Others openly eyed Sam with the same hunger she had been surrounded by for the past four months.

Suddenly a figure burst from the crowd, Cam and Teal'c quickly leveling their weapons at the cloaked man. "Nitta! Nitta!"

"What the hell is he saying?" Cam asked as Daniel and Sam jumped down.

"'Friends, friends,'" Daniel said as he brushed past the two. Switching to Tynirese, he said, "Nitta, nitta. Please undo your hood, let these men see who you are. They will not harm you."

"If they come with you and Sam-anth-a, I know they will not harm me," Seth said, moving his hood off. "Please, come. My sister and her husband have been nice enough to provide shelter to me and some of those who," he paused and looked away, "survived. He says it is the least he can do. You and your men are in danger you are out here. Come."

Seth moved back toward the road he came down, Daniel following without hesitation. Sam followed, forcing Cam, Teal'c and Vala to trot after the scientists.

* * *

"Lord Hindil fled to the mountains with his council, on all accounts my brother-in-law has heard," Seth said, pausing to tie his wraparound. Daniel, Cam and Teal'c were dressed in similar plain cream and dark brown cotton wraparound tops and loose tie pants. They reminded Cam of the scrubs Carolyn wore. Sam and Vala wore longer wraparound tops, reaching to their knees. Theirs had small blue and green flowers on them over cream pants. 

"How reliable is the information?" Cam asked. Daniel nodded as he translated.

"Seth has no reason to doubt his brother-in-law; he has always been a good man," Daniel responded. "Seth says that some within the council's families know where they are hiding; but they too are in fear of their relatives if they come back and find out they told us where to find them."

"It's off to the labor farm for them," Cam said. "I would hesitate too. But they need to know we will protect them."

"Maybe we don't need to," Sam said from the window. "Daniel and I had to love among these people; we know them. Not all of them are happy of the way things have gone, but there are others who will never change. We cannot save those who do not want to be saved, Colonel."

"What are you saying, Carter?"

"Rulers who rule with fear and destruction are sadly not the exception like they are on Earth. Here it seems like it is the rule. Even the females are to be treated as if they are… objects," Sam replied. She took a breath and looked around. "I know it sounds cruel and unkind, but maybe letting those who want that way of life should stay here. Maybe we should take those who want to come, come back with us."

"Colonel, have you lost your mind?" Cam hissed. He noticed Seth draw up and step toward Sam slightly. He held up his hands and stepped back. "I would much rather think of something else than that. Consider that plan Z." He turned around and sat on the low couch, squeezing his eyes shut.

Doors opening and woman laughing came from one of the rooms below them, and slowly floated up to them. Cam opened a weary eye as the door at the far corner opened and he watched two women enter the room. He was surprised how fast Sam leaped up and tore across the room, hugging the two women at once.

"Mara! Lynnita! What are you two doing here?" Sam asked.

"We can ask you the same," Mara said, gazing in wonder at Sam's shortened hair. "Has your long hair displeased your husband?"

Sam caught Daniel's astonished look and blushed. "No, he liked it very much, it's those on my world who did not approve of it so long. But you did not answer my question."

Lynnita grinned. "You are staying at my house. Seth is my brother. He was sent to the labor camp when he defended our sister. She was murdered not long after they arrived to the camp." She shook her head, shaking the bad thoughts with her long, flowing brown hair. "Come, you all must be hungry. We have much better food here than at the camp. My brother told me of your game; I hope you will do no such thing in my house."

Sam smiled and laughed. "I don't think I we would ever do that." She once more gave Lynnita and Mara a hug, watching them leave down a hall to the kitchen. Seth told her she could join them, but Sam merely shook her head. "Daniel is well fed, but it has not been my doing. He would starve if I had to cook for him."

Seth also laughed as Daniel nodded slightly. Cam, Teal'c and Vala stood watching the three of them, lost to what they were saying.

* * *

Seth, Lynnita, her husband Jin, Mara, and SG-1sat around several tables as they passed the food bowls around. In them was food, a far cry from the slop Sam and Daniel had described to Cam. Instead were fruit looking objects, slices of meat, several kinds of vegetables he gathered and a sweet roll of bread that he happily took chunks out of. 

"You came back to bring us to your world?" Jin asked as he swallowed. "You risked your lives to save my wife's brother, and now you risk your men's to come back for us. Why?"

"We do not believe in rulers who abuse their people. The people of Tynir have lived in fear too long; they deserve to know what freedom means," Daniel said, handing the water jug over to Teal'c. "We can offer you some place – another planet – to live on. It would be with peaceful people, helping you all see that there is more to people than wickedness."

"Sam-anth-a told me that she is of equal rank as any man," Lynnita said, speaking for the first time. "Is it true on other worlds?"

"Most of the planets we have come to have their problems, but they also recognize their women are valuable," Sam said. "We would help locate another race that also believes in respecting females."

Lynnita and Jin nodded. Jin smiled at Daniel and the rest of SG-1. "We found out that Lynnita is expecting our first born. She is more concerned than ever with the treatment of women. I am too. The prospect of having my son or daughter come into such cruelness is unbearable."

Daniel and Sam congratulated them, Sam telling the rest of the bewildered group what had been said. They talked for several more hours, discussing who they could talk to, hoping to find Hindil and his council members, several planets that they could be moved too, and if separating those who wanted to stay and those who wanted to leave was in the SGC's best intentions.

Finally they gathered the bowls and plates, placing any leftovers in the icebox, and headed up the stairs to the sleeping quarters. Mara headed out to her own home which she shared with her daughter, Kendra.

"We have several rooms," Lynnita said, linking arms with Sam as they walked up the stairs. "You and Dan-iel can have Jin and our room – do not protest! We will be fine. Besides I do not need the night coverings anymore," she said eyes sparkling as she placed a hand on her still flat abdomen. "Your companions can share the three other rooms."

"Thank you," Sam said, standing outside the door to room Lynnita had indicated. She smiled as Jin, Seth and Lynnita wished them good night and went back down to the common rooms. "Well I am pretty tired; it was an interesting day to say the least."

Cam and Teal'c headed into on of the other rooms, leaving Vala outside in the hall for a moment longer. "Well, good night then," she said as she turned to the still open door and closed it.

Daniel silently followed Sam into their given bedroom. He untied the top and sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. Blinking, he raked them through his hair and fell back on to the soft mattress. "Much nicer than our place," he said softly, moving his hands against the soft covers.

"At least we don't have to make our own fire," Sam said, coming toward the bed. She smiled and held up the night gown that had been placed over one of screens. "But we may need to talk about their night coverings."

Daniel, smiling, sat back up. "Oh, I don't know about that."

"Danny! We are on a mission, behave!" Sam said in hushed tones, all the while smiling and come closer to her husband. "There are rules you know."

"Just don't make a sound," Daniel said as he once more fell on the mattress, pulling Sam down on top of him. "Welcome to my world, Sammy Carter-Jackson."


	18. The Shesan Discovery

It took two days for Jin to find someone who would talk, and when the person did, they talked. They gave detailed maps to where the secret caves in the mountains were and when the other tribal leaders were said to meet. SG-1 reloaded their weapons, checked in with Landry and picked up SG-3 on their way out to the mountains. Seth and Jin had insisted on coming, Daniel saying it was a good idea to have people who were more familiar with the terrain. 

"We are ready?" Cam asked. SG-3's men nodded and the rest of SG-1 did the same. "Good, let's move out."

SG-3 had brought several ATVs with them, cutting down the trekking time. They bumped over rocks, hills, through empty streams and even into the forest that Sam had navigated to get to the Stargate. Sam watched the hills and grass fall away as they went deeper into the forest.

They stopped for the night, Seth showing them that they were close to the MALP. The three walked around the trees, marveling that the first signs of spring were coming to the woods. Sam and Daniel stood alone watching the moon as it slowly made its way across the sky, followed closely by the second moon.

"It looks so calm," Sam whispered. "To think we were out here trying to find a way to make the MALP work, frightened by the guards should they ever find us. We are so close to freeing these people."

"But we don't have to be in fear of them. We were able to fight back, something they never expect any of their people," Daniel said, stroking her hair.

"Why not leave them and take those who want to come with us? We can disable the Gate…" Sam said, talking faster as she turned toward him. "Seth, Jin, those in the camp, Mara, Lynnita and her new baby, they all deserve to be free, live free. Why do we need to ask these men anything?"

"I heard Jin saying that the other tribe lived close by. I think Mitchell is going to ask for their help," Daniel said, kissing her head lightly. "Don't worry; these other people seem to strike fear into Din and Hindil. They may be peace loving, long ago conquered and mistreated people who now need to be shown where to start their campaign to reclaim the village."

"The bodies," Sam said softly once more. "Those holes. Din said something about the place we were building his new palace was also the execution ground for those other tribes." Sam closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Daniel. "I don't want to think about it anymore. Tomorrow will have its own surprises."

"In the immortal words of Teal'c, 'indeed,'" Daniel said, leading her back toward the camp.

* * *

The caves could be seen late the next day. When they looked hard enough, a fire could be seen, but no movement of people. 

"Fire means people," Cam reminded them. "We set up camp tonight here. Tomorrow we go introduce ourselves. Get the ball rolling of sorts."

He looked at Sam as she was about to protest. Quickly she shook her head and turned back to the tent Daniel was rolling out. "Get the feeling like we are still in camp?"

Daniel looked behind him at Cam. "He is concerned. No, I'm not excusing the situation, but he has to think of things slightly differently than us. We can see that this is somewhat easy – weed out those who want to leave, and leave. Mitchell is more… military. He needs to set up with the natives and assess it from a tactical viewpoint. I'm not saying one is wrong, one is right. It's the way it is."

"I suppose I would do the same. I mean from our reports, it sounds like the men are animals, unpredictable and unreliable. It makes sense to set up allies with the oppressed," Sam nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe all this time spent in the camp has made me soft."

"Never think of it that way. We gained valuable… insight. We made friends in the camp," Daniel said, gesturing to Seth. "We learned the weakness of their fighting styles. And we have found they do not take kindly to outspoken women. For that I am grateful we have Vala with us."

Sam looked at him in surprise and then over to Vala who was talking one of the men from SG-3 into pitching her tent for her. "She has spunk."

"Yes, that she does. It seems like many men around here like spunky women," Daniel said, a twinkle in his eye. "A pair of doctors and Colonels, Vala and whomever that mystery man she is said to be seeing. Lynnita strikes me as a very outspoken woman as well."

"Vala has a mystery man?" Sam said, rolling out her sleeping bag. "What makes you say that?"

"I heard some things while we were on base. The grapevine has not shut down you know, still have the old contacts. They were more than eager to tell me about the latest news. Four months worth to catch up on," Daniel said.

"I had my suspicions about Mitchell and Lam," Sam said, leaning into Daniel. "A woman knows when one is in love."

"Really? What took you so long?"

"I did not say we know when we are in love. It's generally the other women who know such things. I will not be held responsible," Sam said, lifting her chin defiantly.

"I'm just glad you did," Daniel said, pulling her close. He kissed her nose lightly and lovingly grinned at her as she giggled. "We just now have to convince the rest of the world."

"Which one?" Sam asked as she returned the quick kiss. Once more the moons were rising over the mountains, bathing the small camp in its iridescent light, a light breeze picking up as well. Sam rested her chin on Daniel's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him once more. "It could be a problem."

"We have not really talked about that have we?"

"Well for a long time there was not much to discuss. It just was. Now, it's more of a protocol issue. Plus I think we may get into some sticky situations with the General."

It was Daniel's turn to ask, "Which one?"

Sam nodded and smiled. "Exactly. We have twice the eyes on us. Some days I wish we were never found."

Daniel nodded; they did not have to talk about that. He imagined things differently: Din not coming to take Sam; Sam not having to run and find the Stargate and they would not have had to notify the SGC they were alive. "Complicated. We have each other to help get through this. At least that is a small thing," Daniel said, lifting her chin to look into her blue eyes. "I don't know about you but I think we may have some questions to defend in a moment."

Sam looked out the tent flap. True to form, a rather pissed off Cam was walking toward them but not looking at them. "Hmm… can we say we were caught in the moment?"

"I could always just passionately declare my love for you," Daniel said, shrugging. "But I think he may have more to say about that than anything else."

"Cheer up, we're in it together," Sam said. Glancing at Cam who was almost to them, she looked back at Daniel. "I'd rather be naked on stage."

"I think I have an idea of what is going on here, but let's just say I don't," Cam said as he stood in front of the couple. "Enlighten me to what part of this culture you have been stuck in that allows two teammates to sleep together." Cam stood still, looking back at Daniel and Sam. "Don't try to talk you way around this, don't play dumb. I understand enough of that language, with Seth and Jin's help, to have realized that 'shesan' means marriage, couple, sexual partners."

Daniel blinked once and, taking the chain from around his neck, he handed the silver rings to Cam. "Those are custom made wedding bands. One is mine, the other is Sam's. We were not forced to get married, but once we found out what we had to do, it made it easier. I love Sammy with all my heart, mind and soul. I'm sorry I did not tell her sooner," Daniel said, giving a sad smile to Sam.

She smiled back, stroking his cheek. "At first it was self-preservation, but as I thought about it, I have been in love with Danny for a long, long time. Din and his men's request gave me the reason to face those feelings."

"I am lost," Cam said, holding up his hands. "So you were in love with each other before this?"

"Yes," Daniel said.

"But a request by Din made you decide to get married?"

"Sort of," Sam said. Seeing Cam's impatience and confusion growing, she rushed on. "At night the males of the camp were gathered to one of the huts and had to watch one or two of the females of the camp be raped. I was spared because they thought Daniel and I were married. When it became apparent that we were not, Din told us we had to … perform the 'Dance of Claim'. A twisted honor for a woman." Sam shook her head and looked away.

"It took a long time for both of us to become even comfortable admitting we had feelings toward each other, let alone strong enough for us to … have very public sex," Daniel said. Looking at Cam, Daniel shook his head. "You asked."

"Yes, yes I did. And I told Carolyn that I did not really want to know everything. So that's the 'missing stuff' from the briefing?"

"Yes. I know we have this off the books, sotto-understanding that if a couple is married off world, it is considered legal on Earth. We want to have an Earth wedding, or at least a reception, celebrating our love," Sam said. "They don't have cake around here."

"What's a wedding without cake?" Cam asked, distracted. "Well that certainly explains a lot. We have a lot to figure out once we get back. You can't just go off and get married to a teammate on another planet."

"Well we figured Vegas was too far," Daniel said, flippantly. "I was not going to let Sam be raped because the guards said they had the right. I don't expect you to understand; you were not seeing the things these men were capable of."

"Sounds like we should have brought a nuke," Cam said looking toward the mountains. "Tomorrow we are talking to these people, and then we will figure out how to get some of these people on a new planet." Cam's eyes softened as he added, "If it was Carolyn, I would have done the same."


	19. Caves of Tynir

Sam was sitting on a rock, looking over the woods they had been crossing the previous day. She had a hand wrapped around a tin cup – the joys of coffee once more – and her other arm around her legs. As Cam approached, he really hated to disturb her; she looked deep in thought. 

"Colonel?" he asked. When she turned her eyes to him and nodded, he sat beside her with his own coffee in hand. "Care to tell me what exactly happened? How you know these people? Some intel on what we may be walking into?"

"That's a lot of questions, sir," Sam said, a small smile on her lips. Sighing, taking a deep drink from her cup, she stared back at the forest. "We had no intention of ever getting married. Hell we never had any intention of staying in that damn camp. After we were basically given bodyguards to prevent us from running, we had to reassess the situation. It would look really good one day that we could bolt, but then the next moment, we would have five guards coming into our area. It just kept changing.

"Daniel started to talk to some of the other captives, and we began piecing together how some of them had found their way there. Seth, as you heard, was put in for defending his sister's honor – her husband wanted her to sleep with his friends," Sam said. Seeing Cam's face she nodded. "It was happening under my nose. Daniel would be told, after dinner, that he had to join all the men in one of the bigger huts. There were only four other women. Each of them was raped repeatedly. And not just by the guards. Once I found out, Daniel told me most were forced into it. He kept me safe by telling them that we were traders, from the Circle of Light, that we did not know the custom and we viewed marriage as sacred. It held them off me, sir."

Cam looked down into his coffee, pouring it out onto the grass nearby. "Jackson is a good man. I think I would have tried to kill each of them."

"Daniel did not go without punishment. He would come in at dawn, sometimes with a swollen lip, another time with blisters on his leg. They were not content just raping, they enjoyed torturing too," Sam continued. "We meet Seth and his hut-mate, Bis – you would have liked him, sir, he was a good scout – and we began to see that not all the men were like that. They told us that they had seen the MALP, and took us to it a few days after Din came into the camp, trying to rape me. That was when Daniel physically fought with Din. Daniel had to heal from those injuries for a while.

"Once I found the MALP, I tried to fix it, get any of it turned on. We could not leave to find the Gate for fear that the small village of captures – or friends – would be beaten, or killed. We wanted to only risk our lives if possible."

Cam nodded; Sam was a good soldier who would have put the minimal amount of people in danger. Being it she and Daniel – a man she loved – must have been hard enough.

"We heard different stories about the tribes over the mountains. Some called them vicious, decedents of the men in the main village, others said they were peace loving. But when we heard that the grounds we were building Din's new home on was a burial ground for those tribesmen, we began to question the intentions of the tribes even more. Finally Din himself gloated once that he conquered them all and viciously killed them. Hindil was also happy about that. Daniel and I figured that that was the truest story; the other tribesmen were afraid of Din and his men." Sam looked at Cam, "That is why we were getting all that static when we were offering the medicine. Why we were kidnapped, we are not sure. Maybe Din was hoping you would give him something he could use to fight and annihilate the other tribes."

"So these guys may be the scared cats?" Cam asked. "I mean they are not feared by the likes of Din and Hindil or their council members, and they just sit on the other side of the mountain and do nothing?"

"That's what we suppose, sir," Sam nodded. "We will not know until we meet them."

"Truer words were never spoken, Colonel," Cam said, looking once more into his empty cup and back at her. Getting up from the rock he nodded. "Gear up, we meet the friendlier natives in a few hours."

* * *

Jin and Seth went up first, after much protesting from Cam and the boys on SG-3. Cam did not want his two best contacts to end up dead; SG-3 wanted a reason to fire their guns. Sam and Daniel waited silently with Teal'c and Vala, trying to keep their feelings for the men out of their own minds. 

"I don't see how anyone would want to live here," Vala said, suddenly. "I mean the men are hot, don't get me wrong, but there is nothing of value – "

"No treasure," Daniel finished distastefully. "We know, Vala."

"Well it has not taken you very long to get back into the swing of things, has it, Danny-boy?" Vala said, ignoring Sam's glare. "I would have expected you to mellow a bit, give a girl a break. You know it's been hard trying to get Teal'c to just stay in the same room with me."

Teal'c looked at her and raised an eyebrow. His look said volumes more then he would have to say; he had learned to tolerate the outspoken and sometimes annoying woman perhaps better then the other men of the team. Daniel imagined it was because they were both from other planets.

Cam interrupted any further discussion as he and Seth came down to where they stood. "Okay we have an agreement to meet. These guys are slow about doing things; no wonder you and Carter had to learn all that negotiating stuff for days."

Daniel nodded, wondering if what they had learned was even correct. The rest of the team followed Cam and Seth up to the cave mouth, carefully stepping on the rocks that jutted out like stepping-stones. As they came nearer, Sam watched Jin and an older man talk quietly. As they drew closer, she could hear that he was introducing them all.

"Great men from the Circle of Light," the old man began, Daniel translating. "I am Guis, leader of the Tyanar Clan, distant relatives of the Tynir Clan. Please come in, we shall take a meal and then begin to talk."

Cam looked around the cave as Guis hobbled into its depth, torches being lit as they passed cloaked figures standing against the wall. He could feel SG-3 tense up each time a new figure appeared, and they got further into the cave. Finally they came into a big cavern and were invited to sit on the brightly colored pillows that were near more rocks. Reclining as Guis and another man did, SG-1 and 3 took in the ritual of taking a meal, a very interesting flourish affair. Finally the food was presented and Cam was very hungry and was delighted to find it quite enjoyable.

After the meal, Guis introduced the other man, his son, Carm, as the negotiator for their tribe. For two hours, Daniel translating everything, Sam handing out more water when needed, Cam and Carm talked about the Tynir Clan and how Earth and the Tyanar Clan could help one another. Several breaks and a few more refreshments later, Cam was growing tired of the long intervals that Carm and his father were talking quietly. Daniel warned Cam not to say anything; negotiation was a delicate task.

Daniel hung his head as he stepped outside the cave for some air. Frustrated, he shoved a hand through his hair.

"DanielJackson, do you need some assistance?" Teal'c asked.

"No, I don't think I need assistance, thank you," Daniel said. Turning to his friend he went on. "I don't understand these guys negotiation tactics. Every time they want to be reassured that everything will be fine, nothing will happen. We will fulfill our part. I understand – they have been hunted and killed by Din and his men long ago. I would not trust anyone really either. But they keep asking about a token of our sincerity."

Teal'c bowed his head, understanding the frustration. He was about to suggest they go back into the cave when a thought struck him. "DanielJackson, they ask for a 'token'?"

"Yes," Daniel said tiredly.

"We have the necklace that was given to us when we first arrived. Vala kept it; I am sure she has it still."

Daniel turned toward his friend. "Teal'c! You are brilliant! Vala! Vala!"

* * *

Finally coming back from another light meal, Cam and Carm again talked. It took several moments of Carm inspecting the necklace and after another hour of talking, each side trusted that the other was sincere in their agreement: Earth supplying medicines and minimal training to help liberate the other clan tribes in the area from Hindil and his men, along with a secure Gate address; the Tyanar Clan would give them the soil and several excess crops that had interested SG-1 to come to Tynir the first time. 

"I think we have a deal," Cam said at last. He nodded and took the offered cup after Carm drank of it. "Here's to a new treaty – and my team together." He drank and handed the cup back to Carm.

"You are now part of our clan too. We shall show you where you may sleep tonight. Tomorrow we can begin our trade," Guis said at last.

"And I don't get the necklace back?" Vala pouted. "I kept it safe all this time, I should get something back!"

"You get their thanks, and we don't get killed," Sam said. Rolling her eyes, she sipped some more water.

Each of the members nodded. Cam sat back, letting a deep sigh escape as Guis and Carm left them. "Well, it looks like we may have started a small civil war. Well we treatied one at any rate."

"It is up to them how to use the tools," Sam replied. "We have something that could help us end famine and could slow the starvation mortality rate. They have modern medicine and the ability to defend themselves."

"You make it sound so easy," Cam muttered as they moved into the back of the cave. "Maybe some of it is that easy."

* * *

Two weeks were spent among the Tyanar Clan, taking samples, supplies, teaching the clan basic medicine and combat moves. Stepping back on Earth soil – even if it was hundreds of feet below the surface – Daniel wondered how the next round of briefings would go. Cam and the rest of SG-1 and SG-3 knew Sam and him were married, quiet happily Vala would interject, throwing meaningful glances his way, and had yet to tell Landry, let alone Jack of the new status. 

"Married. Congratulations. I am sorry it was in such circumstances, but I am sure you were doing it in the best intentions," Landry said, blinking. "Well, you know the rules, we may have to move one of you to another team or onto your departments." Landry looked a moment longer at them both. "I really do wish you two the best of luck; there is no better feeling than finding the person you love. We will work it out, have no worries."

Sam smiled as she sat back from the briefing table. The briefing, almost as long as their first debriefing, but not as intense, helped close several loops. In front of her was the paper Mara had given her after her and Daniel's 'Dance of Claim', Seth and Jin helping to translate the words.

* * *

"I'm glad you are home," a male voice said, dragging Sam out of her inner world of mapping the night sky of Tynir. 

"Sir!" Sam said upon seeing Jack O'Neill standing in her lab doorway.

"Carter. As you were. Is that the star constellation that you said held the freedom loving Tynir people?" Jack asked as he pointed to the map.

"Yes. We got lucky there was a perfect planet nearby. It's quite beautiful, and Jin and his wife and their family are busy building new homes for those who will come to seek refuge there. We told them that we would send supplies in a few weeks," Sam said, lighting up.

"Sounds good. Carter – Sam – would you like to have dinner with me tonight? A welcome home sort of thing," Jack asked, leaning on her desk.

Sam looked at him. Daniel had told her that they needed to tell Jack gently. He was still convinced there was a small flirty side that Jack would imply to try to make a move with. "I think that will be nice, Sir."


	20. Home

"…But I always thought he would win!" Jack said, laughing as he sat back. Sam smiled and gave a small laugh. "Well enough of why I think the 'Simpson's' should get an Emmy. Carter – Sam – I wanted to tell you that… now that you are back, and I have had much more time to think about this… I think we should give us," he made a loose gesture indicating them both, "a chance." 

Sam quickly swallowed the last of her wine, thankfully without choking. She knew it would come up, but still having him ask – and in the way he asked – was still a bit surreal. "Sir, I am flattered, but there is something I need to tell you. I am sorry I was not able to tell you sooner; you having to go back to Washington so quickly the first time, and then me being gone for another few weeks."

Jack looked at her with curiosity. "What is it? You found you do not like Gate travel anymore? You figured out that off world food and friends seem to always be lacking? You fall in love with someone and had hot monkey sex with them?"

Sam was blushing, and placed her glass aside. "Sir," she started, looking away. "Well I guess that's one way to describe it," she said at last.

"What?" Jack asked, picking his beer up and looking bewildered. "What would describe it?"

"Falling in love with someone and having hot monkey sex with him," Sam said calmly. Jack's eyes went round and he had the grace not to spit the remaining traces of beer in her direction.

"What!"

"The reason why I can not 'give us a chance' is because I am already," Sam slipped on the ring Daniel had given her – now complete with an engagement ring. "Married." She held up her hand and smiled.

The color drained from Jack's face. "What? Who? When…. Oh Gawd! Oh… oh Gawd."

"Married, Daniel, on the planet. I'm sorry sir," Sam said. She was concerned at the paleness of his face. "Sir? Are you okay?"

"No wonder you had the," he held up his hand and pointed to his own bare ring finger, "the tan. You have a wedding band on it. Daniel?"

"Ya. No it was not forced; we knew what we were doing. We first were going to 'do it' to make sure we were not hurt anymore – mainly so I would be marked as a married woman, and not raped. But really, we have been suppressing our feelings for one another for years. You and I, Sir, was a place we could throw around our feelings and not have to face them. Daniel and I being prisoners made us realize we could not dance around the issues. Din forced us to look at one another and talk. For that, I thank him," Sam said softly.

"Oh. Well, yes, I suppose it was," Jack said slowly. "Well I still feel like a fool. Who knows?"

"Everyone."

Nodding slowly, Jack said, "Of course. Everyone would have to know. Well I suppose you and Daniel are being transferred."

"We have not discussed it yet. General Landry said SG-1 is on stand down for the time being. I feel really bad, sir," Sam said, looking at Jack again.

Jack reached out and laid a hand over hers. "Don't be. When love comes you have to take it."

Sam laughed. She placed a hand over her mouth and nodded. "I'm sorry. You are not the only one who told me – Daniel and I, really – that." She reached into her purse and took out the note Mara had given her. "We were given this after our… wedding night. Mara – one of the ladies who was there to help – gave this to us. Neither Daniel nor I could translate it, but having a few native speakers around helped."

Handing the note over, she pointed to the sprawling script. "Kika dui inga gige um – 'Love comes and you must obey it.' It's an old proverb that is given to newly wed couples."

"Well these people sound like smart cookies," Jack said, handing it back to her. "I'm happy for you and Danny-boy. You are both good kids."

"Love will come for you too, sir. Maybe you are denying it too," Sam said smiling at him.

"I guess. Sara called a few days ago. I guess now that I have no excuses – and I am in town – I should go over and see her," Jack said, looking at the fire in the fireplace.

"Do what your heart tells you," Sam said softly. Leaving him to stare at the fire, Sam let herself out and drove to a small apartment Cam was able to secure for Daniel and her. Slipping her shoes off, she wandered into the small living room, smiling as she saw her husband deep in a book.

"I take it, it went well?" he asked, not looking up for a moment. Turning his blue eyes up to her, he closed the book. "He did not fight it?"

"Well he was shocked –"

"Weren't we all?"

"But came around. I think he may still be in love with Sara."

"His ex?"

"Yup. Now if we can get the other Colonel/Doctor pair to move in a direction," Sam said, sitting on Daniel's lap.

Wrapping his arms around her he kissed her. "Match maker, huh? How about we forget about the rest of them for a bit, and just concentrate on us?"

"Oh you are so romantic," Sam breathed as Daniel pulled her into another kiss. "Let it never be said that captivity can't have its own glimmer of hope."

Pulling Sam with him to their make shift bedroom, he glanced at her. He turned, taking Sam into his arms once more. Daniel brushed a strand of hair away from her face and smiled once more. Slowly taking off each other's clothing he held her and breathed, "A strange hope, but hope nonetheless, Sammy."

* * *

A/N: THANK YOU! It was a blast to write this, and I hope a blast to read! 


End file.
